Meteorological measurements for the purpose of avalanche prevention

11-01-2019

Mountains are beautiful but they can also be very unpredictable. Nice weather is known to change in instant gale, storm or torrential rain. The avalanches pose very high risk in the winter mountains. Annually they take their toll and not every avalanche accident has a happy ending.

Measurements of meteorological data are extremely important for understanding the formation and behavior of avalanche triggering.Mountain environment is very specific and has extremely high demands on measuring instruments. Extreme frosts, strong gusty winds, intense sunlight and icing are some of the factors that can easily destroy any equipment or a sensor.

Avalanche Prevention Center in Slovakia intensively monitors one of the most avalanche prone slopes in Carpathian mountain range - Príslop. COMET loggers are placed directly in the avalanche slopes and periodically collect valuable data. The loggers operate in extremely harsh winter conditions.

Also thanks to their reliability we are able to issue more accurate avalanche forecasts and warnings.