5.01.2015
On Friday it warmed up considerably and the snow cover became wet and therefore settled and transformed faster, on sunny slopes it also melted. At night it froze. On Saturday it cooled down somewhat, but even on Sunday the freezing level was still around 1800 m above sea level. Lower down snow melted on sun-facing aspects, while in the high mountains, except on sun-facing slopes, it remained dry or frozen. This morning the zero degree level was around 1500 m above sea level.
At 2500 m above sea level there is snow in the Julian Alps up to about 130 cm, at 1500 m up to about 50 cm, elsewhere from 10 to about 30 cm. Due to wind, the snow cover depth is quite uneven.
The snow cover is mostly crusty, only in the mid-mountains on sunny slopes does it soften during the day. In shady areas of the high mountains there are still areas where the snow is dry and sometimes loose. The snow is heavily wind-packed, on wind-exposed slopes down to the ground or to the old base. On wind-exposed slopes in the high mountains the surface is sometimes icy. There is a lot of slabs or wind-blown snow.
The avalanche danger has decreased slightly and is mostly level 2 in the high mountains, level 1 lower down.
The snow cover has stabilized and settled quite well.
Potentially unstable mainly in places with wind-blown snow and on sufficiently steep slopes. There, with greater loading of the snow cover, you can trigger an avalanche. Spontaneous avalanching is mostly not expected. There is danger of slips in many places.
Ahead of us is a week of mostly dry weather, at least no significant precipitation. On Wednesday warmer air will start arriving at altitude and the freezing level will rise to about 2000 m above sea level by Friday. The snow cover will become wet during the day in mid-mountains and on sun-facing slopes and plateaus, freezing at night.
The crust will strengthen. In shady areas of the high mountains snow will remain mostly dry or frozen. The snow cover will gradually stabilize.
The next report will be published on Friday, 9.1.2015 in the afternoon.
General avalanche danger is level 2 on the European five-level scale.
Source: ARSO