Snow conditions in the mountains 18.1.2012

In recent days, it has been dry and cold in the mountains with mostly sunny weather. The air was very dry. The snow cover remained mostly dry and frozen, only in lower altitudes on sun-exposed slopes did it soften slightly during the day. The transformation was slow.

The snow cover is very varied. In sheltered spots and gullies, the snow is soft in places, but mostly covered with a crust formed mainly by wind, less by daytime melting.

In places, the crust even supports human weight. There are many wind slabs and loose snow, while on wind-exposed areas the snow is heavily scoured, with a hard base that is icy in places. The snow cover starts at around 1300 m elevation, and in gullies at around 1000 m. In the Julian Alps, there is up to around 110 cm of snow at 2500 m, and around 60 cm at 1500 m. Elsewhere in our mountains, it is around 30 cm at 1500 m. The avalanche danger is mostly 1st degree. Only areas with wind-blown snow and steep slopes are more dangerous. There, a slab avalanche can only be triggered with significant additional load on the snow cover. On scoured areas, there is a risk of slips.

Today it will be mostly clear, tomorrow cloudiness will increase.

Warmer air will arrive. The freezing level will rise to around 1500 m today, and tomorrow slightly above 2000 m.

The snow cover will transform and stabilise somewhat faster especially tomorrow. Avalanche conditions will not change much until Friday morning.

The next report will be issued on Friday, 20.1.2012.



General avalanche danger is 1st degree on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO