Nock Mountains

AVOID steep wind-loaded zones

AVOID steep wind-loaded zones

Avalanche danger is LOW. Isolated avalanche prone lcoations are found in wind-loaded steep zones (gullies, steep bowls, forest clearances, etc.) and in general in NE/E/SW facing ridgeline zones. Fresh drifts are prone to triggering. In isolated spots even minimum additional loading is sufficent to trigger a small-to-medium slab avalanche.

Stormy NW winds transported the snow on shady slopes. The base for the snowdrifts on shady slopes in wind-protected gullies, bowls and clearances consists of faceted old snow and surface hoar, i.e. potential fracture points, elsewhere of hardened crusts. On west-facing slopes there is hardly any snow, exposed terrain is utterly windblown. The old snowpack is stable for the most part and tends only slightly with large additional loading to fracture propagation on a soft facted layer beneath the melt-freeze or rain crusts from the day at New Year.

On Wednesday, much sunshine, good visibility at the start. Winds light, no disturbance. At 2000 m: 0 degrees. On Thursday, poor conditions in the mountains. In the Northern Alps, often heavy snowfall, reduced visibility (as elsewhere), about 10-20 cm of new snow is anticipated, up to 30 cm in the Hohe Tauern. Winds will be strong to stormy from the west. At 2000 m: -9 degrees.

As a result of new snow and wind, danger zones will become more numerous, thus raising the danger level on Thursday.