Snow conditions in the mountains 21.1.2010

With the strong cooling, the snow cover in the mountains has frozen, and the transformation of the snow cover has slowed down significantly. On Wednesday it snowed, with 10 to about 25 cm of snow falling, more in the Karawanks and in the eastern part of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Higher up, the new snow has not bonded well to the base, lower down, mostly below 1500 m, it has bonded better. A moderate to strong northeast wind blew, transporting snow into wind slabs.

In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is up to about 360 cm of snow, at 1500 m up to about 100 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m there is about 20 cm of snow. On the crusty surface of the old snow there is 10 to 20 cm of dry snow. In many places the new snow is quite wind-scoured, on more exposed spots down to the old, partly icy base. In sheltered spots there is more wind-drifted, dry snow.

Avalanche danger in the high mountains, above about 1800 m, is 3rd degree. Especially dangerous are spots with wind-drifted new snow that is poorly bonded to the base. There, even with minor additional load, you can trigger an avalanche. Elsewhere the danger is 1st degree.

On wind-scoured spots there is risk of slips.

Cold and initially still windy weather will continue. Due to low temperatures, the snow cover will transform only slowly. Spots with drifted snow will remain dangerous in the high mountains, while elsewhere the snow cover will be stable. Otherwise, snow and avalanche conditions will not change much. The next report will be issued on Tuesday, 25 January.



General avalanche danger is considerable, i.e. 3rd degree on the European 5-level scale.



Source: ARSO