CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 A light South East wind and cold temperatures has had little change to present snowpack distribution. However isolated areas of highly unstable windslab still persist on North West through North East to South East aspects above 800 metres. Hard windslab is still covering a layer of depth hoar, which is providing an efficient sliding surface. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 At first isolated areas of hard highly unstable windslab will persist on North West through North East to South East aspects above 800 metres. Later as winds increase to a fresh Easterly drifting will affect South through West to North aspects above 800 metres as fresh windslab deposits build. These deposits will also be unstable due to depth hoar being present on most aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main cover above 750 metres, Excellent cover on plateau. ICING: Good on Post Face and Inner Coire routes. Certain routes have had a thrashing though! COMMENT: Temperatures to remain below freezing at 300 metres. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 The snowpack above 750m has a firm icy crust. Pockets of dense layered windslab which are potentially unstable exist in summit gullies and NW to NE facing coire headwalls. On steep scarp slopes surface layers in particular are weakly bonded. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 The cold conditions will continue with little change to the snowpack. Pockets of layered windslab will exist in sheltered summit gullies and NW to NE facing corrie headwalls. Instabilities will remain within these layers particularly on steep scarp slopes. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere the snowpack will have a firm icy crust. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 750m. ICING: Ice on rocks and paths above 200m. COMMENT: Crampons and axe essential in icy conditions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 Unstable faceted crystals continue to promote widespread surface instability, mainly in sheltered locations on many aspects. Deeper areas of windslab, which is moderately bonded are to be found in sheltered locations on NW to NE aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Slopes exposed to the wind are firm and stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 Accumulations will develop on W aspects but these will be light. Surface instabilities will remain in sheltered locations on many aspects with deeper areas of moderately bonded slab on NW to NE aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will remain Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reasonable cover above 900 metres. ICING: Watercourses give better possibilities although quality mixed. COMMENT: Snow is becoming increasingly variable on plateau areas. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 Little change in the weather or poor snowpack stability. Winds remain from the South, cool temperatures and clear skies. The full snowpack test was at the fracture line of an avalanche. The hard surface slab at 1000m on a NE aspect slab was reasonably bonded to a very thin crust but immediately below that the sample sheared easily on a very soft layer of partly settled snow and facets. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 Another 24h forecast period with no precipitation, cold temperatures and a change in wind direction to light Easterlies. There will still be areas where the wind slab is highly unstable. This will be mainly above 850 metres on West, East and North aspects. Avalanches will be likely where this slab exists. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3 CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reasonable cover on the plateau. Some small wind effected patches show interesting shear properties on low angle terrain. ICING: Very few areas showing any growth at all. COMMENT: Terrain traps right now are the unsupported convex slopes that have the slab and weak layer combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 Little change in the weather or poor snowpack stability. Winds remain from the South, cool temperatures and clear skies. The full snowpack test was at the fracture line of an avalanche. The hard surface slab at 1000m on a NE aspect was reasonably bonded to a very thin crust but immediately below that the sample sheared easily on a very soft layer of partly settled snow and facets. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 Another 24h forecast period with no precipitation, cold temperatures and a change in wind direction to light Easterlies. There will still be areas where the wind slab is highly unstable. This will be mainly above 850 metres on West, East and North aspects. Avalanches will be likely where this slab exists. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3 CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reasonable cover on the plateau. Some small wind effected patches show interesting shear properties on low angle terrain. ICING: Very few areas showing any growth at all. COMMENT: Terrain traps right now are the unsupported convex slopes that have the slab and weak layer combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 17/1/01 Stable cold conditions overnight and during Wednesday have had little effect on the existing snowpack. Areas of hard windslab are present on sheltered steep slopes and the tops of gullies with a NW through NE to E aspect above 1000m. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Wind blown slopes are hard frozen and generally stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 18/1/01 Cold, dry conditions will continue for the forecast period. Areas of hard windslab will remain on sheltered steep slopes and the tops of gullies with a NW through NE to E aspect above 1000m. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main accumulations remain above 800m. ICING: Remaining cold at all levels. COMMENT: Aonach Mor routes starting to see a bit more traffic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------