Nock Mountains

Evaluate fresh snowdrifts with caution, bonded snow easily triggered

Evaluate fresh snowdrifts with caution, bonded snow easily triggered

Avalanche danger above 1800 m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Freshly generated snowdrifts in steep gullies and bowls and behind discontinuities can be easily triggered. Avalanches can reach medium size. Due to further snowfall and little wind, danger zones cannot be spotted. Fresh drifts can be triggered even by 1 person in steep terrain, and reach medium size. Frequency of danger zones increases with ascending altitude, danger also rises as day progresses. Danger of naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches persists. Where snow is deep enough, they can reach medium size. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

By Sunday morning 15 cm of fresh snow fell widespread (focus in western regions), more will be added to it during the daytime, mostly unbonded. Brittle snowdrifts can be deposited on leeward slopes. Weak layers lie inside the fresh snow. The snowfall from Saturday fell on a largely stable snowpack. Due to the irregularity of the surface (wind-compressed, icy, windblown, loose) the weak layers are unlikely to be extensive. The old snowpack base is moist. The warm ground is reinforcing the gliding movement of the snowpack downhill.

On Sunday poor visibility, clouds and fog will dominate, repeated snowfall, by evening an additional 10 cm is expected (hardly any snowfall on the southern flank of the Alps). Visibility somewhat better in Lungau. The northerly winds will be light. Tempertures will drop further. At 2000 m: from -7 to -10 degrees; at 3000 m: -10 degrees.

Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly.