Snow conditions in the mountains 28.2.2011

Cold weather continues. On Friday and Saturday it was sunny, on Sunday it became somewhat cloudy in places. Most of the time a northern wind was blowing, strongest on Friday and Saturday. No major new drifts. Due to low temperatures, the snow cover transformed somewhat faster only on sun-exposed slopes, in shady areas the snow remained mostly unchanged, dry. In the night to Monday, 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow fell in places in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, which did not bond with the base. Elsewhere no precipitation.

In the Julian Alps at 2500 m there is about 350 cm of snow, at 1500 m about 140 cm. Elsewhere in our mountains at 1500 m about 30 cm of snow. The thin snow cover extends in shady areas sometimes to the lowlands, sun-exposed slopes are mostly bare up to about 1000 m above sea level. The snow is mostly covered with a crust, partly due to wind, on sun-exposed slopes also due to daytime melting and nighttime freezing. The crust mostly does not support human weight. In shady areas there is fresh snow in places, especially where the wind blew it. Extensive areas of wind-packed snow. On wind-exposed places the snow cover is quite scoured to a hard, partly icy base.

Avalanche danger is 3rd degree in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, elsewhere 2nd degree, lower where there is little snow 1st degree. Dangerous are mainly places with wind-packed snow and steeper slopes, especially shady aspects. Especially a touring skier or hiker can trigger a slab avalanche. No spontaneous avalanching expected mostly, but in Julian Alps and western Karawanks smaller avalanches of new, dry snow on crusty base may release.

Today and tomorrow mostly dry, but quite cloudy weather.

Cold. Northeasterly wind will transport new snow and in Julian Alps and western Karawanks create new drifts. Snow will transform only slowly, avalanche conditions therefore will not change significantly until mid-week.

Next report will be issued on Wednesday, March 2.



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



Source: ARSO