Nock Mountains

Favorable springtime situation, slight daytime danger cycle, shady slopes are hard as steel

Favorable springtime situation, slight daytime danger cycle, shady slopes are hard as steel

Hardly any danger zones. Favorable springtime situation with slight daytime danger cycle within the Danger Level LOW. The melt-freeze crust is compact in all aspects, softens superficially in the sun, not deeply. Small dangers lie in superficial moist snow slides (small) triggered by skiers and rare naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches (in extended northern aspects, small-to-medium). Danger of falling outweighs that of avalanches. Caution: on shady slopes the surface is hard!

The snowpack is 0-degrees isotherm, moist at the interior, wet on south-facing slopes. Due to relavively low temperatures and clear nights, firm melt-freeze crusts dominate, sometimes with a layer of graupel on top. During the daytime the snow rapidly turns to firn on sunny slopes, mostly only superficially. On shady slopes the surface remains hard as steel. The fresh snow from Tuesday is minor, not avalanche relevant. Most potential avalanches have already released. Relevant snow reserves are small, found in N/E aspects. Small risk of glide-snow releases on grassy slopes.

Saturday night skies will be star-studded and relatively cold. Easter Sunday will be sunny, often cloudless skies, colder than recently. At 2000 m: -7 to -4 degrees; at 3000m: -10 degrees. Often strong northerly winds.Sunday night skies will be star-studded with powerful outgoing radiation. On Monday, sunshine in the morning. Later on, clouds will move in. Towards evening, light snowfall is possible. Persistent brisk northerly winds. At 2000 m: -6 to -2 degrees; at 3000 m: -10 degrees. On Tuesday, continuingly cool, light snowfall above 1400 m. Fresh snow not avalanche relevant in high alpine regions.

On Monday and Tuesday, no change. Stable melt-freeze crusts dominate, some transformation to firn snow, and a few cm of fresh snow on Tuesday. At mid-week, temperatures will rise slightly: minor wet-snow problem, subject to daytime cycle.