6.01.2014
At the end of the week, cloudy weather prevailed with occasional precipitation. The most occurred in the western Julian Alps, the least in the eastern Karavanke and on Pohorje. The snow line was at about 1600 m above sea level, dropping lower in places during the night to Monday. In the high Julian Alps, 40 to about 70 cm of snow fell, slightly less in the western Karavanke, in the Savinja Alps and eastern Karavanke 10 to about 40 cm. On Pohorje it mostly rained. Snow fell on a partially crusted base, but since the snow was relatively wet, the bond between new and old snow is not as weak as during the previous snowfall; above about 1800 m the snow was drier and thus the bond between new and old snow weaker.
The freezing level is currently at about 2300 m above sea level and will rise above our highest peaks by evening.
The most snow is in the high Julian Alps, up to about 250 cm, locally about 130 cm in higher parts of the Karavanke and Kamnik-Savinja Alps. At 1500 m up to about 100 cm in the Julians, much less elsewhere. Significant snow cover begins at about 1200 m above sea level, higher on sun-facing slopes. Above about 2000 m snow is mostly dry and light, lower wet and soft.
The southwester created wind slabs, on wind-exposed sites snow is considerably wind-scoured.
Avalanche danger is mainly 4 in the high Julian Alps and western Karavanke, elsewhere 2 to 3 (European 5-point scale), depending on snow amount.
Spontaneous release of medium-sized and numerous small avalanches expected mainly from steeper slopes. Avalanches can also be triggered by minor additional snowpack loading, especially dangerous are wind-deposited snow areas and steep to moderately steep slopes in all aspects. Below about 1600 m the snowpack is quite soaked and full-depth avalanches possible from steep grassy slopes.
In coming days dry weather, gradually sunnier. Warm, freezing level above highest peaks. Snowpack will freeze overnight, transform and settle during day and gradually stabilize. Crust forming on surface.
Spontaneous avalanching will subside, avalanche danger gradually decrease.
Next snowpack report issued Wednesday, 8.1.2014.
General avalanche danger is 4 on the European 5-point scale.
Snow depth:
215 cm Kredarica (2515 m)
100 cm Vogel (1540 m)
18 cm Krvavec (1740 m)
3 cm Rateče (864 m)
Source: ARSO