Nock Mountains

Avoid fresh drifts and glide cracks

Avoid fresh drifts and glide cracks

Gliding snow activity will increase on Sunday. Danger zones occur in all aspects up to 2400 m. Glide-snow avalanches can trigger anytime on steep grassy slopes and smooth rocky ground, and reach medium size. Avoid zones below glide cracks. Fresh snowdrifts are accumulating above 2000 m. Danger zones occur esp. on NW/SE facing slopes, increase with ascending altitude, releases can reach medium size. Above 2500 m in th Northern Alps, weak layers in the old snowpack can trigger. Danger zones occur esp. on shady slopes in transitions from shallow to deeper snow. Triggering an avalanches usually requires large additional loading. Snowdrift avalanches can sweep away more deeply embedded layers of the snowpack, in some cases grow to large size. Due to rain impact and higher temperatures, small loose-snow avalanches can be expected on very steep slopes.

The lowermost part of the snowpack has numerous melt-freeze crusts between which are faceted crystals, esp. on north-facing slopes and at high altitudes. The weak layers are most prevalent on shady slopes with shallow snow. Fresh snowdrifts are deposited atop loose snowpack surfaces, are prone to triggering. On smooth ground (grass, rocks) which are steep enough, the entire snowpack can glide.

On Sunday, visibility is reduced by fog and showers. During the day it will become dryier and more pleasant. By Sunday evening, 5-20 cm fresh snow expected. The snowfall level at 1200 m. Strong-to-stormy westerly winds. Temperatures at 2000 m -2 to -5 degrees, at 1000 m -1 to -3 degrees.

Avalanche danger will not change.