Snow conditions in the mountains 3.1.2012

At the end of the week, it was dry in the mountains with mostly sunny weather at first. Due to the temperature change, the freezing level was relatively high, occasionally above 2500 m. The snow cover therefore became wetter and settled somewhat faster, freezing at night, but mainly on plateaus and in frost hollows. On Monday, precipitation began to appear in the western and southern parts of the Julian Alps and the foothills, and on Tuesday night elsewhere as well. By this morning, 20 to about 35 cm of snow had fallen in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, elsewhere 5 to 15 cm. The snow line lowered somewhat during the precipitation, but also depended on the intensity of the precipitation. This morning it was at around 1000 m above sea level, slightly higher in the east, and in some Alpine valleys in the west at around 900 m. During the snowfall, a strong southwesterly wind blew, creating drifts and cornices. The new snow is light and soft and mostly dry. It has bonded fairly well with the base, worse only in the high mountains above about 2000 m. Especially on the eastern and northern sides of the ridges, there are numerous drifts and cornices. In the Julian Alps, there is up to about 130 cm of snow at 2500 m above sea level, and up to 70 cm at 1500 m.

Elsewhere in our mountains, it is up to about 40 cm at 1500 m. The avalanche danger has mainly increased to degree 3 in the high mountains, lower down and in the eastern part of the Karawanks and on Pohorje it is 1 to 2 degrees. Especially dangerous are places with wind-blown snow and steep slopes. There, an avalanche can be triggered even with minor loading. Smaller avalanches of fresh, poorly bonded snow will initially release from steeper slopes. On wind-exposed sites in the high mountains, the new snow is scoured, sometimes down to the old base.

Until Friday, the weather will be changeable and not too cold. This morning, tomorrow, and Thursday, small precipitation will occasionally occur. It will snow mostly above 1000 m, occasionally a little lower. By Friday morning, an estimated less than 5 to about 10 cm of snow will fall, more in the western part of our mountains. Occasionally, a strengthened southwesterly to westerly wind will blow, and on Friday a northwesterly, which will transport snow in the high mountains and create new drifts. The snow will settle slowly. Due to the new snow, the avalanche danger will not increase. Until Friday, degree 3 will remain in the high mountains.

The new report will be issued on Friday, 6.1.2012.



The general avalanche danger is degree 3 on the European five-level scale.



Source: ARSO