3.05.2016
General danger level - Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Danger is level 3 on the European 5-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.
Main problem: wet snow
Danger pattern: vn10 Spring situation
Risk assessment
Danger in the mountains above about 1800 m a.s.l. due to larger amounts of new snow from end of week CONSIDERABLE, level 3. Lower, where it rained or little snow, mostly LOW, level 1. Especially at wind-packed snow locations and steeper slopes, new snow avalanches can be triggered with minor additional load. Spontaneous release possible on sufficiently steep slopes and gullies.
Snow conditions
CONDITIONS in mountains winterly. Sunday and Monday cloudy with occasional precipitation, more abundant in eastern Karawanks and Pohorje areas and eastern part of Savinja Alps. Snowfall limit mostly just below 2000 m a.s.l. Up to about half meter snow fell. Lower snow melted. Wind in high mountains formed drifts and cornices. In Julian Alps at 2500 m 280 to about 320 cm snow, at 1500 m 60 to about 110 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains 20 to about 70 cm snow. Consolidated snow cover after few sunny days then rain reaches varying altitudes. In Julians on shady slopes and plateaus snow also below 1400 m, on sunny slopes above about 1600 or 1700 m. Elsewhere sunny slopes mostly bare to about 1900 m, shady slopes snow a bit lower.
Forecast weather development
Today variably cloudy, local showers developing. Light to moderate northerly wind. Tomorrow mostly cloudy, occasional minor precipitation mainly east. Moderate northerly wind. Thursday and Friday more variably cloudy with intervening sunny periods. Afternoon local showers. No major temperature changes.
Trend of snow conditions
Freezing level these days at sea level between 2000 and 2300 m. Snowpack will settle and transform, on clearer nights snow will refreeze. Lower snow will melt. Gradually the snow layer from May Day holidays will somewhat stabilise. With daily warming top snow layer less stable. Avalanche danger will continue slowly decreasing.
Next issue: Friday, 6 May 2016
Source: ARSO