9.02.2015
AVALANCHE DANGER ASSESSMENT
Avalanche danger is mostly 3rd degree, mainly below the forest line and in sheltered locations 2nd degree.
The snowpack is still potentially quite unstable and poorly bonded to the ground. Avalanches can be triggered almost anywhere with minor snowpack loading. Steeper slopes and areas with wind-deposited snow are particularly dangerous.
On steeper slopes, spontaneous release of individual small avalanches is possible. Newer snow will slab off on old, crusty or hard base layers.
SNOW CONDITIONS
At the end of the week, it was dry and cold in the mountains, with some sunny weather as well. Strong northerly winds transported snow and formed cornices mainly on the southern sides of ridges and passes.
Temperatures were consistently below zero. The snowpack settled slowly and transformed little.
Snow depths are quite uneven due to very windy weather in recent days. At 2500 m a.s.l. up to around 190 cm, at 1500 m up to around 110 cm, at 1000 m from 30 to around 70 cm.
CURRENT SNOWPACK STATE
The snowpack is dry, soft in sheltered areas, but quite crusty and in places even hard in more wind-exposed locations.
There are many slabs and cornices that are unstable - they lie on bare or icy ground, and especially in higher elevations also on old crusty snow bases.
Ridges are mostly quite wind-packed and therefore hard and icy in many places.
FORECAST WEATHER DEVELOPMENT
Today it will be mostly cloudy. Light snow especially in Kamnik-Savinja Alps and in eastern Karawanks and on Pohorje. Moderate to strong northerly wind will blow. Warmer air is arriving at higher elevations and temperatures are expected to rise slightly above zero around 1500 m by tonight. Tomorrow partly sunny weather, wind will weaken.
SNOW CONDITION TENDENCY
Avalanche conditions will initially not change much. Tomorrow during the day, however, snow will start to transform somewhat faster due to higher temperatures and more sunshine. Especially on sun-exposed slopes, it will wet on the surface during the day and freeze at night. Surface crust will also form in sheltered sun-exposed locations. In shady areas, the situation will remain almost unchanged until midweek.
General avalanche danger is 3rd degree on the European five-level scale.
CONSIDERABLE - due to wind-deposited snow, cornices and weak layers in the old snowpack.
Next report will be published on Wednesday, 11.2.2015.
Source: ARSO