Nock Mountains

Weak layers in persistent weak layers are prone to triggering!

Weak layers in persistent weak layers are prone to triggering!

The avalanche risk increases rapidly with altitude from the tree line and is considerable above around 2000 metres. The situation remains precarious for winter sports. Medium-sized slab avalanches can easily be triggered by individuals in some places, especially from west to north to east. There is a high likelihood that surface-triggered avalanches will tear through to deeper layers. Avalanche prone locations are hardly recognisable and require a defensive choice of route. Take particular care near transitions from little to much snow and in the entrance areas to steep gullies.

The surface of the snowpack is crusted or marked by the wind. Fresh and older/hard wind slabs overlay soft layers (surface hoar, faceted crystals). In general, areas with little snow alternate with considerable snowdrift accumulations. Breaks occur either in soft layers near the surface or around the crust that forms the transition to the completely angular old snowpack. The overall snow depth is well below average.

In the evening and during the night, stormy southerly foehn winds of 60 to 80 km/h will blow. Clouds gather and after midnight there is unproductive precipitation. During the day, clouds will predominate and visibility will often be limited. At 2000 metres it will be around -2 degrees, at 3000 metres -7 degrees. The Föhn wind will still be blowing at 50 to 70 km/h in the morning, but will then ease noticeably.

Little change - combined persistent weak layer problem.