Snow conditions in the mountains 13.1.2017

General danger level - Friday, 13. 1. 2017

Danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale - CONSIDERABLE.

Main problem: fresh snow

Danger pattern: Snowfall after a longer period of frost

Danger pattern: Cold weather, fresh snow not well bonded with wind



Risk assessment

Avalanche danger is rapidly increasing due to new snow. In the Julian Alps, 10 to about 40 cm of snow fell by morning, which the wind strongly drifted. Elsewhere, there was little snow by morning, up to 10 cm at most, but precipitation is spreading eastward. The snow line is low north of the Bohinj ridge, elsewhere it has risen to 1000 to 1200 m above sea level.



Snow conditions

On the old, hard snow cover, new snow has fallen in the high mountains, mainly in the Julian Alps, which is mostly dry. Elsewhere, the base was mostly bare. The strengthened southwesterly wind is drifting the new snow into drifts. The snow is light and soft.



Expected weather development

Today in the morning, it may rain in southern Slovenia up to about 1300 m above sea level, in the north the snow line will be between 600 and 700 m. In the afternoon, the snow line will gradually drop to the lowlands. On Saturday night, precipitation will subside from the northwest. The amount of snow will depend on elevation and geographical location. Most precipitation will be in western and southwestern Slovenia, least in the northeast. On Sunday and Monday, dry and cold weather, temperature below zero in the mountains.



Tendency of snow conditions

Above the snow line, snow falls on frozen bare ground, in the high mountains where there is snow, on hard and partly icy snow cover. On grassy and leaf-covered as well as snow-covered base, new snow will be poorly bonded to the base. Elsewhere and at lower elevations where it will also rain, the bond with the ground will be better. The southwesterly wind will turn north to northeast this afternoon, on Saturday a northwesterly wind. The wind will create drifts and build cornices. Due to low temperatures, snow will remain relatively light and dry in the coming days and will settle and transform only slowly. Avalanche danger will probably increase today until the end of precipitation in the high mountains to level 3, below about 1000 m, depending on geographical location, level 2. Avalanche conditions in the mountains will be relatively unfavorable on Saturday and Sunday. Snow will remain light and dry. Particularly dangerous will be places with wind-drifted snow, steeper slopes, and steep grassy slopes also in the mid-mountains and hills where at least 20 cm of snow falls.



Next issue: Monday, 16. 1. 2017



Source: ARSO