Snow conditions in the mountains 14.1.2013

Yesterday light snow began to fall. The snowfall intensified in the evening and overnight, and it continued snowing during the day today, but gradually weakened. Across Slovenia, 20 to 40 cm of snow fell, and in southern and southeastern Slovenia even more in places. The snow was dry. Where it snowed onto the base of the old snow cover, the snow did not bond well to it due to the crusty and partially icy base. On wind-exposed sites, the wind scoured much of the new snow, and new wind slabs formed mainly on the northern sides of ridges, and below around 1500 m more on western slopes.

The snow cover reaches the lowlands. The snow is light and soft. In places exposed to wind, especially in the high mountains, the new snow is scoured to the old, partially icy base. At 2500 m in the Julian Alps there is around 160 cm of snow, at 1500 m around 80 cm.

Elsewhere in our mountains, snow depth at 1500 m is 40 to 60 cm.

Avalanche danger has increased to level 3.

Particularly dangerous are areas with drifted snow, steeper slopes, even in mid-mountain areas where it was bare and the base is grassy. Even with minor snowpack loading you can trigger an avalanche of new, poorly bonded snow; spontaneous avalanches from steeper slopes are also possible. Avalanches may also release snow from roofs in settlements.

Tonight and tomorrow cloudy weather will prevail. Tomorrow there will be occasional snow mainly in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, and in the foothills of the Julian Alps and Notranjska hills. 5 to 10 cm of snow will fall. Since temperatures will be below freezing, the snow will settle only slowly and remain light and unstable. Avalanche danger will not decrease.

New report will be issued on Wednesday, 16.1.2013



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



Source: ARSO