3.02.2014
On Saturday it snowed, the snowline rose above 1500 m, on Sunday it descended again. On Saturday precipitation was heavier only in the western Julian Alps and Karawanks and in the hills of Primorska, on Sunday also elsewhere, but no longer so heavy.
In the west, a total of 40 to about 100 cm of snow fell, elsewhere approximately 20 to 40 cm. During snowfall, especially on Saturday in the high mountains, a strengthened south wind blew, creating drifts and building slabs. Avalanches were already releasing during snowfall. At altitudes between about 1100 and 2000 m, due to the thaw the snow got wet and settled faster, on the night to Monday it froze.
The snow cover extends to the lowlands. Most snow is above 2000 m in the western Julian Alps, where more than 550 cm, elsewhere in the Julian Alps up to about 400 cm, in the western and central Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps also over 230 cm. At 1500 m in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks up to about 270 cm, elsewhere less than 100 cm. The snow is light and soft and sinks deeply, in places covered with crust.
Avalanche danger is 5th degree in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks, 3rd degree in the eastern part of our mountains.
The snowpack is generally unstable. Spontaneous release of numerous loose snow avalanches from steep and moderately steep slopes is expected. In the east, there will be considerably less spontaneous sliding, but there the snowpack is potentially unstable and can be triggered by minor additional stress especially on steeper slopes and places with wind-loaded snow. The thaw has also further destabilized the snow.
Today dry weather, temperature will remain below zero everywhere in the mountains. The snowpack will settle slowly. Especially in the Julian Alps and western Karawanks avalanches will still release. Avalanche danger will decrease slowly somewhat. On Tuesday and in the night to Wednesday it will snow again mainly in the western part of our mountains. By Wednesday morning about 10 cm of snow will fall there, which will not increase the avalanche risk.
The next snowpack report will be issued on Wednesday, 4.2.2014.
General avalanche danger is 5th degree on the European five-level scale.
Source: ARSO