Nock Mountains

Freshly generated snowdrifts at high altitudes are prone to triggering

Freshly generated snowdrifts at high altitudes are prone to triggering

Avalanche danger above the treeline is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Above 2000 m, fresh snowdrift accumulations esp. on N/S facing slopes are prone to triggering. Avalanche can in some places be triggered by 1 person and grow to medium size. Danger zones increase with ascending altitude, often are difficult to see due to poor visibility. Also the gliding snow problem will persist. Danger zones occur in all aspects. Glide-snow avalanches can release on steep slopes or smooth rocky ground at any time of day, mostly are small sized. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Through the intensifying winds, Wednesday’s fresh snow can be transported. Above 2000 m, a melt-freeze crust will form. Soft layers below it will become weak layers. In high alpine region above 2500 m the snowpack base still consists of crdusts with soft embedded layers. Despite dropping temperatures, the snowpack is moist up to 2000 m. Inside the snowpack, no weak layers are evident, the fresh snow is bonding well with the snowpack. On smooth ground (grass, rocks) when slopes are sufficiently steep, the entire snowpack can glide downhill.

Thursday will be highly instable, heavy cloud cover will domiante, much reduced visibility, repeated snow showers. Snowfall level will drop to 800 m. All in all, up to 10 cm of fresh snow is expected on Thursday. Winds below the treeline will be light, above it quite brisk from the northwest. At 2000 m: -6 or -5 degrees.

The gliding snow problem will gradually recede. The snowdrift problem will persist.