NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 7/2/01 After heavy overnight snow on South-Westerly, then Northerly winds, a clear, cold day with drifting on fresh Westerly winds, has followed. All slope aspects now have recent loading, with substantial deposits above 600 metres. Some, mainly NE aspects have been scoured above 1000 metres, but crag aprons of the same aspect have recent slab build-up. Clean shears were obtained in soft surface slab layers at a test site at 1100 metres on a SE aspect. Unstable cornices exist above most aspects. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 8/2/01 Lighter, mainly Northerly winds with a trace of new snow, will bring little fresh accumulation. Continuing cold snow temperatures will not permit much stabilisation of the snowpack. Unstable slab will continue to exist on slopes of all aspects. Altitudes as low as 600 metres may be affected. Avalanches will occur, with long run-out possible. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Deep drifts everywhere above 600 metres. Nearly complete plateau cover. ICING: Much water ice below the drifts. COMMENT: Approaches now very laborious. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 7/2/01 Continuing cold conditions are having little effect on the existing unstable snowpack. Large areas of unstable snow are present on many aspects above 800 metres. Greatest accumulations are on steep W through N to E aspects. Other sheltered locations are also affected. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 8/2/01 Cold and dry conditions will prevail with a light Northerly wind. Some further redistribution will occur on to South aspects above 1000 metres. Large areas of unstable snow will still be present on many other aspects. Greatest accumulations will be on W through N to E aspects above 900 metres. Avalanches will occur, particularly on steep slope inclinations on the above mentioned aspects. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh cover at all levels. ICING: Some wind scoured aspects have a frozen crust on the snow surface. COMMENT: Difficult underfoot conditions. Careful route selection essential. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 7/2/01 Heavy snowfall overnight has formed highly unstable deep accumulations of windslab in all sheltered gullies and on many slopes. Greatest accumulations exist on slopes with a North-West through North to Easterly aspect above 750 metres. Avalanche activity observed on slopes of a North-East aspect at 1000 metres.Under field test clean easy shears were attained at several layers in the snowpack. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 8/2/01 Cold conditions with light snow and fresh Northerly winds will not significantly alter the general condition of the snowpack. Some wind transportation of snow will occur forming fresh deposits of windslab mainly at the tops of slopes with a South-East to South-West aspect. Deep deposits of unstable soft slab and windslab will remain in all sheltered gullies and on slopes with a West through North to East aspect. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 300m. ICING: Ice on rocks and paths above 300m. COMMENT: Deep unstable windslab in many gullies, buttresses and ridges well plastered with new snow. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 7/2/01 Due to lighter variable winds there is now fresh snow on most aspects. Deepest accumulations are to be found on S through to N aspects. Stability remains poor and better observation conditions allowed views of avalanche debris on mainly SW and W aspects. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 8/2/01 It will remain cold and settled throughout the period with only a trace of fresh snow. The current situation will be maintained and stability will remain poor. Soft deposits will be found on most aspects with deepest accumulations being found on S through to N aspects. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Deep soft snow down to valley level. ICING: E aspects likely to be least buried. COMMENT: The storm may be over but the instabilities persist! CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 7/2/01 Clear and cold conditions prevailed with a fresh Westerly wind. Deep accumulations of highly unstable windslab still persist on South through West to North aspects above 600 metres. However drifting of fresh snowfall has also begun to accumulate unstable windslab in sheltered gullies and hollows of a North through East to South aspect above 650 metres. Fresh avalanche debris was noted on South-East and South aspects. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 8/2/01 Light snow combined with drifting on a fresh North-West wind will continue to add fresh windslab to existing unstable deposits. South-West through North to East aspects above 600 metres will be affected. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. Large unstable cornices will continue to build on the above mentioned aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Cover at all levels, good above 700 metres. ICING: Still plenty there but buried in fresh snow. COMMENT: Ski- touring conditions much improved, but nasty breakable slab covering the heather at lower levels!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------