Nock Mountains

The old snowpack is generally poorly constructed and requires defensive behaviour

The old snowpack is generally poorly constructed and requires defensive behaviour

The avalanche risk increases rapidly with altitude and is moderate above around 2000 metres and low below. Slab avalanches can only be triggered by individuals in a few places but can reach medium size if they tear through the old snowpack. Some avalanche prone locations are covered in snow and difficult to recognise. Take particular care in the west, north and east aspects, especially in the snow-covered entrance areas to steep gullies and bowls, behind terrain edges and at the transition from little to more snow. Whumpfing collapsing sounds when stepping on the snowpack can indicate danger. In addition to the risk of burial, the risk of being swept away and falling should also be taken into account.

The snowpack is highly variable and areas with little snow alternate with considerable snowdrift accumulations. Some of these are covered by settled new fallen snow. Older snowdrift accumulations have been transformed in places and are soft, in places hard as a board. Below this, the old snowpack consists of deep rime and angular forms interspersed with crusts. Fractures in the persistent weak layer usually occur around the uppermost crust. The total snow depth is well below average. The outgoing longwave radiation at night is reduced.

During the course of the night and on Sunday, extensive and sometimes quite dense medium-high cloud fields will also move through above the high fog patches near the valley. The sun will have a hard time with partly limited visibility and will only break through the clouds occasionally and often in a very subdued manner. The wind will be weak at all altitudes. Temperatures at 2000 metres around -6 degrees, at 3000 metres around -12 degrees.

Only a slow decline in avalanche danger. The weak layers in the snowpack remain prone to triggering.