Nock Mountains

Very few danger zones, weak layer in old snow

Very few danger zones, weak layer in old snow

Avalanche danger is low. There are very few potential avalanche prone locations where large additional loading can invariably trigger a slab from the persistent weak layer, most likely on extremely steep slopes with relatively shallow-snow above about 2200 m in E/N aspects. Shallow-snow and extremely steep slopes near ridgelines should be assessed critically or, even better, circumvented. The danger of taking a fall on steel-hard surface outweighs the danger of triggering an avalanche.

Strong, in some places stormy W/S winds, mild temperatures, minimum fresh snow at high altitudes (rain under 1700 m) have deteriorated snow quality. Melt-freeze encrusted surfaces (hard as steel, icy, breakable, snowdrift patches) dominate, crests and ridges are utterly windblown. Beneath the melt-freeze crusts is a weak layer. A potential trigger-sensitive layer of faceted and soft snow is at high altitudes. Current stability tests show that the tendency towards fracture propagation is minimal, at least over surface-wide areas.

On Saturday on the northern rim of the Alps, initially more clouds, but hardly any precipitation and generally adequate visibility. Further south sunshine and cloud will alternate, with good visibility. Only in exposed terrain: moderate winds. At 2000 m: -2 to +1 degree; at 3000 m: -5 degrees. On Sunday, visibility at high altitudes on the northern rim of the Alps is often impaired by fog, but hardly any precipitation is expected. Elsewhere visibility is generally adequate, though light conditions are diffuse. Winds mostly light. At 2000 m: 0 degrees; at 3000 m: -8 degrees.

No significant change is expected.