Nock Mountains

Strong northerly foehn wind generating trigger-sensitive snowdrift masses

Strong northerly foehn wind generating trigger-sensitive snowdrift masses

As a result of some fresh snow and strong northerly foehn wind, fresh snowdrift accumlations are being generated near the forested zones and higher up in all aspects. They are generally small-sized but are prone to triggering and should be circumvented particularly in very steep terrain. The proneness to triggering tends to increase with ascending altitude.

The snow depths amount to 20 - 40 cm. By Sunday midday, an additional 10 cm is expected. The snowpack layering in the still shallow snow cover is frequently unfavourable. The snow cover is expansively metamorphosed (faceted) down to the ground, including embedded melt-freeze crusts. Near forested zones and in wind-protected areas the surface hoar has been blanketed by fresh snowfall. Fresh snow and drifts are being deposited atop this weak old snowpack surface, it is prone to triggering. The situation on sunny slopes is somewhat better, especially where the wind has generated a more irregular distribution of snow.

Sunday: the peaks will mostly be shrouded in clouds, intermittent snowfall, less in the afternoon. At higher altitudes, a NW wind will cause renewed snow transport. It will be very cold: -13 degrees at 2000 m, -19° at 3000 m. Winds will make the cold seem even greater. Monday: mostly sunshine in the Tauern and Nockberge, high-fog like clouds near the Northern Alps. At high altitudes, an icy cold NW wind with speeds reaching 40 km/hr will be blowing. At 2000 m: -13 degrees; at 3000 m: -20 degrees.

The predominantly small-sized snowdrift accumulations will initially remain prone to triggering amid the cold temperatures. Avalanche danger levels will decrease only gradually.