4.04.2016
AVALANCHE RISK ASSESSMENT
The avalanche danger is MODERATE, level 2, increasing to level 3 during midday and afternoon.
The snowpack is softened due to thawing and somewhat less stable. On clear and sufficiently calm nights the snow mostly freezes, but during the day, especially on sun-exposed slopes, it softens and the danger increases. Wet snow avalanches can release spontaneously from steep slopes, wet snow slab avalanches are possible on steep grassy or leaf-covered slopes. You can trigger snow with greater additional loading primarily on steeper slopes.
SNOW CONDITIONS and CURRENT STATE OF THE SNOWPACK
In the mountains fairly sunny and warm weather continues, occasionally with mostly multi-layered cloudiness high above the summits. The freezing level is above the highest summits. During windy weather snow did not freeze even at night, except in sheltered locations in the high mountains. Lower down snow melts quickly, especially on sun-exposed slopes.
In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is from 240 to about 300 cm of snow, at 1500 m from 110 to about 220 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m from 30 to about 80 cm of snow, less towards the east. Significant snow cover starts at around 1000 m elevation, on sun-exposed slopes even above 1200 m.
The snowpack is mostly frozen in the morning especially in the high mountains and in freeze areas, but softens during the day, except with less sunny weather in shaded locations in the high mountains, where snow can remain frozen even until early afternoon. Especially lower down, in the mid-mountains, snow remains mostly softened even at night.
FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT
Today partly clear with occasional increased amounts of high, layered cloudiness, which will otherwise be fairly transparent but can occasionally be quite dense. In the west some clouds will form along the ridges. A strong southwesterly will blow.
Tomorrow and on Wednesday the weather will be similar, only the wind will gradually weaken. The freezing level will all days be high above the summits.
TRENDS IN SNOW CONDITIONS
The snowpack will settle quickly and melt in the mid-mountains. At night higher up and in sheltered locations it will freeze, during the day it will soften. Only in the night from Monday to Tuesday due to wind it is less likely that snow will freeze. ALL DAYS THE AVALANCHE DANGER FROM MID-MORNING TO LATE AFTERNOON WILL BE HIGHER than the rest of the day.
Next report will be issued on WEDNESDAY, 6.4.2016 in the morning.
Source: ARSO