Nock Mountains

Freshly generated snowdrifts easily triggered

Freshly generated snowdrifts easily triggered

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh snowdrifts in steep gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities can be triggered in some places by 1 person, avalanches can reach medium size, danger zones increase with ascending altitude. Danger of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches persists. Where snow is deep enough, they can reach medium size. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

The snowpack surface is lavishly covered with surface hoar where the terrain is wind-protected. Starting on Tuesday, fresh drifts were generated by SE winds, deposited on loose base and still prone to triggering. Large crystals and surface hoar have formed a weak layer, the drifts constitute the slab.  The old snowpack is largely stable but the weight of fresh snow reinforces the tendency of the entire snowpack to glide downhill over the warm ground.The old snowpack is moist up to intermediate altitudes. Due to the weight load of the precipitation, it can glide downhill in its entirety over smooth ground - this tendency is currently reinforced.

On Wednesday night, clear skies and little wind, the NE rim will have some fog. On Thursday, brilliant sunshine, top visibility, a few clouds from the NE in the afternoon. Winds will be light. At 2000 m: -3 degrees.

On Friday, intensifying winds will generate new snowdrift accumulations.