Snow conditions 31.1.2014
31.01.2014
Yesterday it snowed. In the central and western parts of our hills, 20 to about 100 cm of snow fell. The most fell on Bovško, elsewhere in the Julijci somewhat less. Also in the hills of northern Primorska and partly Notranjska, up to about 50 cm of snow fell, but there the snow line rose during the day. A strengthened southerly wind was blowing, creating wind slabs. The snow was dry in the high mountains, wetter lower down. On Pohorje and in the eastern Karavanke, there was considerably less precipitation, with 10 to about 30 cm of snow falling there.
The snow cover reaches the lowlands. The most snow is above 2000 m in the western Julijske Alpe, up to about 500 cm there, elsewhere in Julijci up to about 350 cm, in the western and central Karavanke and Kamniško Savinjske Alpe also over 200 cm. At 1500 m in Julijci up to about 250 cm, elsewhere less. The snow is light and soft and sinks deeply.
Avalanche danger is 4th degree, in the eastern part of our mountains 3rd degree.
The snow cover is generally unstable. We expect spontaneous release of numerous new snow slabs from steep and moderately steep slopes. In the east there will be considerably less spontaneous avalanching, but there the snow cover is potentially unstable and can be triggered by minor additional stress especially on steeper slopes and places with wind-deposited snow.
Cloudy weather with precipitation will continue. More abundant and frequent will continue in Julijci and the foothills and western Karavanke, elsewhere much less. There up to Monday morning another 30 to 100 cm of snow may fall. The snow line will occasionally rise above 1000 m. The snow cover will settle progressively. The risk of snow avalanches will remain high even in the mid-mountains. Avalanches may release even from steep slopes above some roads.
For now we advise against visiting the mountains, except in the eastern Karavanke and on Pohorje, where caution will also be needed.
The next report on the snow cover condition will be issued on Monday, 3.2.2014.
General avalanche danger is 4th degree on the European five-level scale.
Source: ARSO