Snow conditions in the mountains 18.1.2013

On Wednesday and Thursday, snow fell occasionally. The amount of precipitation varied considerably locally, but the most snow fell again in the Julian Alps area, from about 25 to 60 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains, there was less new snow, from 10 to 20 cm. The snow was dry, so the east to north wind created drifts and slabs. The snowpack settled slowly.

The snow cover reaches the lowlands. The snow is light and soft. On wind-exposed sites, it is scoured in many places, with many drifts. At 2500 m in the Julian Alps there is up to about 230 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to about 150 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains, at 1500 m there is 60 to 90 cm of snow, at 1000 m up to about 50 cm.

Avalanche danger is degree 4 in the larger part of the Julian Alps. Elsewhere in the mountains it is degree 3. Especially dangerous are sites with wind-packed snow, steeper slopes, also in the mid-mountains where there are steep grassy slopes. Even with minor loading of the snowpack, you can trigger an avalanche of new, poorly bonded snow; spontaneous avalanches from steeper slopes are also possible.

Today there will be no significant precipitation, it will partly clear.

Tomorrow it will initially be mostly clear, during the day cloud cover will gradually increase in the west, and in the afternoon slowly also in the eastern part of our mountains. In the west, especially in the foothills of the Julian Alps, light snow will begin. Temperatures will remain below zero. The snow will settle only slowly, the wind will continue to transport snow into drifts. Tomorrow a southwest wind will begin to blow. On Sunday it will be cloudy and foggy, only on Pohorje will it be partly clear initially. Precipitation will intensify in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, as well as in the Savinja Alps. The snow line will rise to around 1600 m above sea level. Rain lower down will wet the snow, and thus the snowpack will become additionally unstable everywhere with rain. Spontaneous sliding from steep slopes is also expected. Higher up, new snow will again increase avalanche danger, a strong southwest wind will form new drifts. Therefore we warn of dangerous snow conditions in the larger part of our mountains. Be extremely cautious when choosing routes, visits to the mountains are only for the truly experienced.

With thawing and rain, snow will also slide from roofs.

A new report will be issued on Monday, 21.1.2013



General avalanche danger is degree 4 on the European five-degree scale.



Source: ARSO