Nock Mountains

A bit of fresh snow at high altitudes. Beware gliding snow.

A bit of fresh snow at high altitudes. Beware gliding snow.

Avalanche danger is low in general. Some fresh snow and wind will generate thin, small snowdrift masses, deposit them near ridges and in steep gullies and bowls and can trigger small slab avalanches. On extremely steep shady slopes above 2400 m, isolated small slab avalanches can be triggered in the old snow, esp. with large additional loading in transitions from shallow to deep snow, e.g. at entries into gullies and bowls. Due to rain impact the snowpack is becoming wetter. In steep grass-covered terrain, naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible at any time, esp. below 2400 m. Glide-snow avalanches are usually small, occasionally larger higher up.

The snowpack is quite stable. During the course of the day, 5-10 cm of fresh snow is expected, deposited atop a moist, warm snowpack surface above 2400 m, bonding well. Weak layers inside the fresh drifts can be prone to triggering. On shady slopes there are faceted layers near a melt-freeze crust which are trigger-prone. At low and intermediate altitudes the snowpack is already thoroughly wet down to the ground.

During the nocturnal hours, initially clear skies, then clouds will move in, first in the high regions of the Tauern with storm-strength southerly winds, later on slackening off. On Friday, cloudy right from the start, a bit of rainfall/snowfall is possible during the morning, in Nockberge and Niedere Tauern rainfall/snowfall later on, snowfall level initially at 1800-2000 m, then dropping by evening to 1500 m. The winds will be moderate from the south. At 2000 m: +1 degree, dropping to 0 degrees; at 3000 m: -6 degrees.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly. Due to further snowfall and wind, size and frequency of snowdrift masses will increase in the Nockberge and Niedere Tauern.