Favorable Avalanche Triggering Conditions and Risk During 2019-2020 Winter

Abstract

The paper presents and analyzes the variations of meteorological and specific snow parameters which favored the onset of avalanches in the winter season 2019-2020 in the mountains monitored by the Snow and Avalanche Program of the National Meteorological Administration, taking also into account the estimated avalanche risks for each massif. The analyzed parameters are those measured during the daily observations and weekly measurements at the meteorological stations Bâlea-Lac, Vârful Omu, Sinaia, Predeal, Parâng, Țarcu, Semenic, Vlădeasa, Iezer, Călimani, Ceahlău, as well as during some measurement campaigns outside the meteorological stations area. Avalanche cases and favorable conditions for their triggering are included in a database, to be analyzed and used to better estimate the avalanche risk and reduce their effects on the environment and people. The favorable conditions for triggering the avalanches were due to both significant snowfall, high temperature values or their sudden increase, as well as the transformations that take place inside the snow layer, as a result of which unstable structures are formed.