Snow conditions in the mountains 20.1.2012
20.01.2012
Dry weather continues. There was occasionally more cloud cover than in the first half of the week. In higher elevations there were layers of warmer air, but by today the freezing level has dropped to around 1100 m. The snowpack has been transforming and slowly settling.
The snowpack is very variable. In sheltered spots and shady slopes the snow is soft in places, but mostly covered with a crust formed mainly by wind, less by daytime melting.
In places the crust supports human weight. There are many wind slabs and loose snow slabs, while on wind-exposed sites the snow is heavily wind-packed, with a hard base and icy in places. The snowpack starts at around 1300 m elevation, on shady slopes around 1000 m. In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is around 100 cm of snow, at 1500 m around 50 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m around 20 cm. Avalanche danger is mostly level 1. Only wind-loaded areas and steep slopes are more dangerous. There, only with heavy loading of the snowpack can an avalanche be triggered. On scoured areas there is a risk of gliding falls.
No significant precipitation today either. Freezing level tomorrow around 1000 m, on Sunday rising to around 1700 m. Dry and partly sunny. Snow will continue to metamorphose slowly, remaining dry and unchanged on shady slopes. Avalanche conditions will not change.
New report issued on Monday, 23.1.2012.
General avalanche danger is level 1 on the European 5-level scale.
Source: ARSO