Snow conditions in the mountains 23.1.2013

On Monday and Tuesday it snowed occasionally. By this morning, 10 to 30 cm of snow had fallen. Temperatures were below zero. Even in the mid-mountains, the snow became drier due to the cooling. The snowpack settled a bit, and lower down, the rain-soaked snow hardened somewhat. The wind carried snow into drifts, which in the high mountains formed mainly on the eastern and northern sides of ridges, lower down due to easterly winds also on western sides.

The snow cover reaches the lowlands. The snow is mostly light and sinks deeply under human weight, depending on the amount of new snow. In the high mountains, on wind-exposed places, there are numerous drifts and slabs along the ridges. At 2500 m in the Julian Alps there is about 260 cm of snow, at 1500 m about 140 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m there is 30 to 50 cm of snow. At 1000 m the snow cover is from less than 30 to about 50 cm in the west.

Avalanche danger has decreased due to cooling to 3rd degree, lower, below about 1500 m, 2nd degree. Dangerous are mainly places with wind-blown snow and steeper slopes. Even with minor loading of the snowpack you can trigger an avalanche.

Few spontaneous avalanches.

Today dry weather, tomorrow, Thursday, it will snow again.

Up to about 10 cm of snow will fall. During snowfall, a northeast wind will blow and carry snow into drifts. New snow will be dry, but will bond well with the mostly light base. Avalanche danger is not expected to increase. It will be a bit colder and therefore the snow will remain dry and light.

New report will be issued on Friday, 25.1.2013



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



Source: ARSO