LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 1/1/01 Fresh snow from yesterday afternoon has started to thaw at all levels and become unstable. These deposits are generally on sheltered NW, N and NE aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 2/1/01 A mild and wet airflow will cover the area through out the forecast period. Some wet snow is expected above 1200m, with rain below this altitude. Unstable wet snow will be present on many aspects. Avalanches are likely, mainly on steep NW, N and NE aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow at all levels. ICING: Thawing at all but the highest levels. COMMENT: Deteriorating climbing conditions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 1/1/01 Milder conditions exist with rain at all levels. The snowpack is soft and moist. Wet slab lying on steep north west through to east facing slopes is very weakly bonded to underlying snow ice. Unstable cornices are present above some corrie headwalls and summit gullies. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 2/1/01 The mild conditions will continue with rain at all levels. The snowpack will become saturated and will reduce at lower levels. Wet slab lying in steep summit gullies and corrie headwalls facing north west through to east will remain weakly bonded. Cornices will be prone to collapse. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 300m. ICING: Thawing ice above 300m. COMMENT: Freezing level above summits, snowpack consolidating. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 1/1/01 Overnight snow showers on a South West wind combined with drifting has accumulated fresh windslab on a North West to North East aspect above 800 metres. Sheltered gullies and hollows are particularly affected. Weakly bonded subsurface layers exist within the snowpack and in mild conditions a period of instability will persist. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 2/1/01 Sleet and snow through out the forecast period on a strong South South East wind will further add to existing weakly bonded windslab deposits on a West through North to North East aspects above 800 metres. Sheltered gullies and hollows will be particularly affected. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) with avalanches likely. Fresh unstable cornices will continue to build. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Improved slightly with drifting. ICING: Ice remains on Post Face and Inner Coire, thawing today (1/1/01). COMMENT: Not many people on the hill today, can't work out why! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 1/1/01 Areas of unstable slab exist in sheltered locations on many aspects with deepest areas on NW to SE aspects. Snow is weakly bonded, the surface layers have become moist with cracks appearing on slopes from low additional loading. Cooler dry snow remaining within deeper areas continues to provide easy shears. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 2/1/01 Thaw conditions will continue with rain at all levels throughout the period. By morning snow will be wet but generally stable. In sheltered locations on many aspects, instabilities will persist in some deeper accumulations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Strong overnight winds have left some deep drifts in places. ICING: Subject to thaw conditions. COMMENT: Freezing levels will be over the summits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 1/1/01 During the field observations the rain/snow transition was from 800 to 1000 metres. The profile site at 1100 metres in Coire an t-Sneachda was snowing. The warmer temperatures, strong winds, new snow and snow transport have stiffened and increased the size of the surface slab. This sits on a soft cold layer up to 150 cm down. Avalanche activity noted at low elevation (700 m) on a North aspect. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 2/1/01 The temperatures will go above freezing over the tops, however the forecast also calls for continuous snow and rain for the period. Avalanches will occur with the greatest potential on larger North aspect features (ie Coire Cas headwall) above 800 metres. Rain will produce avalanches at low elevations on all steep aspects that have snow cover. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Diminished below 700 metres, settling rapidly at other elevations, some drifted sites show growth. ICING: Short term outlook poor; long term with a melt-freeze cycle should improve. COMMENT: We've got to wait this cycle out and avoid avalanche terrain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------