Nock Mountains

Few danger zones but very poor snow quality

Few danger zones but very poor snow quality

Avalanche danger continues to be 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 circumvented. The danger of taking a fall on the thin layer of fresh snow (only a few centimetres) outweighs the danger of triggering an avalanche.

Melt-freeze encrusted surface (hard as steel, icy, breakable, snowdrift patches) dominate. Beneath this is a soft layer. A potential trigger-sensitive layer of faceted and soft snow is evident starting at 2000/2200m in E/N aspects. This weak layer is currently not easily triggered or, if so, only over small spaces and is not area-wide.

On Wednesday, sunshine and outstanding visibility. Winds will be mostly light. At 2000 m: -3 degrees. Towards evening, thin cirrus clouds will move in. On Thursday cloudbanks will pass through, the summits will remain free, but light conditions will become diffuse. Higher temperatures: at 2000 m about 0 degrees. Winds will be westerly, blowing often at brisk strength.

No change.