Nock Mountains

Pay heed to danger zones caused by snowdrifts

Pay heed to danger zones caused by snowdrifts

Avalanche danger is moderate above the treeline, below that altitude danger is low. Fresh and older snowdrift accumulations can be triggered by 1 person in some places and release a slab, usually small sized, sometimes medium. Most danger zones are above the treeline on E facing slopes and in wind-loaded gullies. Glide-snow avalanches are still a threat where snow is sufficient, most releases remain small. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Irregular snowpack surface, minor fresh snow atop it. Weak layer: the soft lacer beneath the melt-freeze crust (wind crusts and rain-ice crusts) is the likeliest weak layer below the fresh snow and drifts from Friday. The loose snowslides over the latest melt-freeze crust surface. Older snowdrift accumulations unlikely to trigger, only by large additional loading, otherwise the old snowpack is stable.

On Tuesday night, scattered clouds to start with, after midnight heavier cloud cover with snowfall will pass through, temperatures will rise markedly. By morning, 2 cm of fresh snow expected, the W/NW winds will intensify significantly. On Wednesday, heavy cloud cover, precipitation will soon taper off. Dry. Winds will be westerly, strong-to-stormy, reaching 50-70 km/hr At 2000 m: 2 degrees.

Due to further fresh snowfall and storm-strength winds on Thursday, a marked rise in avalanche danger (snowdrift problem).