Snow conditions in the mountains 13.3.2013

On Monday and Tuesday, it was mostly dry weather. There was more cloud cover on Tuesday. The snow line dropped from an initial 1800 m to around 1500 m above sea level. Lower down, the snow melted, while higher up it settled and transformed; on Monday in sunny weather it crusted and froze overnight. Today, precipitation is occurring mainly in the west. The snow line is between 900 and 1200 m above sea level.

At 2500 m in the Julian Alps, there is up to around 360 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to 190 cm, and at 1000 m around 50 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains, snow at 1500 m ranges from 50 to 90 cm, and at 1000 m up to around 20 cm.

The snowpack is mostly wet and softened; in the high mountains, the snow is light, with an older hard or crusty base underneath.

There are numerous cornices on the ridges.

Avalanche danger is mostly level 2. Steep slopes covered with grass or leaves are particularly dangerous, where wet snow avalanches, including ground avalanches, can still release. In the high mountains, on sufficiently steep slopes with significant additional load, you may trigger avalanches of partially bonded snow.

From today until tomorrow morning, it will snow in the mountains. The snow line will drop to the lowlands overnight. 20 to 30 cm of snow may fall in the mountains. A strong north wind will blow, transporting snow into wind slabs. New areas of wind-blown snow will form mainly on the south sides of ridges and passes. New slabs will form, increasing avalanche danger. Below around 1200 m, cooling will stabilize the snowpack and reduce the possibility of sliding.

A new report will be issued on Friday, 15.3.2013.



General avalanche danger is level 3 on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO