Nock Mountains

Isolated danger zones in wind-loaded terrain

Isolated danger zones in wind-loaded terrain

Avalanche danger is LOW. Isolated danger zones are located in wind-loaded steep zones (gullies, steep bowls, forest clearances, etc.) and in general near ridgelines in NE/E/SW aspects. The fresh drifts are prone to triggering. In some spots, even minimum additional loading is sufficient to release a slabe avalanche (small-to-medium sized).

Older and fresher snowdrift accumulations now blanket faceted layers of old snow and, in some places, surface hoar on shady slopes, i.e. potential fracture spots. Otherwise many hardened crusts. West-facing slopes have hardly any snow, esposed terrain is utterly windblown. The old snowpack is stable and has little tendency towards fracture propagation, except in isolated cases by large additional loading at a soft faceted layer beneath the melt-freez / rain crust which formed at the New Year.

On Thursday, widespread snowfall (light-to-moderate), heavier in the afternoon from the north. By evening in the Northern Alps, 10-20 cm, less in the Tauern, is expected. Clouds will be heavy, visibility reduced. Winds will intensify, reaching storm strength by afternoon at latest, from west to northwest. Temperature at 2000 m: -8 degrees. On Friday, poor visibility due to heavy cloud cover, some heavy snowfall in the Northern Alps is expected, less in the Tauern. winds will be strong to stormy, strongest in the Nockberge, from the northwest. At 2000 m: -13 degrees. On Saturday, moderate and persistent snowfall due to a warm front from the north. Persistent stormy winds.

On Friday, no significant change is expected. On Saturday, the frequency of danger zones will increase.