Nock Mountains

Assess snowdrifts with caution

Assess snowdrifts with caution

Avalanche danger above 1600m is moderate, below that altitude danger is low. Main danger stems from fresh snowdrifts. Slab avalanches of small-to-medium size can be triggered even by minimum additional loading on steep W/N/E facing slopes. Danger zones occur near to ridgelines, behind protruberances and in gullies and bowls. Size and frequency of danger zones tend to increase with ascending altitude and as the day unfolds.

Fresh snow is being transported far-reachingly, deposited on shady slopes atop a faceted expansively metamorphosed snowpack surface. In addition, the blanketed fresh snow inside the masses of fresh fallen snopw constitutes a weak layer. Apart from the drifts the snowpack is loose in wind-protected zones. In wind-exposed zones the snowpack surface is highly varied.

On Tuesday, poor visibility. Clouds and fog will dominate. Rainfall and snowfall will be frequent, snowfall level in early morning at 2000m, later in the day descending to 1000m. About 10-30cm of fresh snow is anticipated, most on the Main Alpine Ridge. The southerly winds will ease off during the day, also in the Tauern. At 2000m, temperature dropping from +3 to -4 degrees; at 3000m from -2 to -10 degrees.

Snowdrift accumulations remain prone to triggering