Nock Mountains

Few avalanche prone locations, poor snow quality

Few avalanche prone locations, 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 steel-hard surface outweighs the danger of triggering an avalanche.

Melt-freeze encrusted surfaces (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 Friday skies will be cloudy in the Northern Alps, but initially it will remain dry. During the afternoon light rainfall will set in, snowfall above about 1500 m. In inneralpine regions some sunshine is expected above the valley fog; during the afternoon light conditions will become diffuse. Strong S/W winds, later northwesterly in exposed terrain above the treeline blowing at 40-60 km/hr. At 2000 m: 0 degrees; at 3000 m: -4 degrees. On Saturday, lots of cloud, visibility generally adequate, the inneralpine mountain massifs have somewhat better conditions. During the course of the day, sunshine may come through. Winds will not be disturbing, at most blowing at moderate strength. Temperatures will remain mild.

No significant change.