NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 23/2/01 Snow showers on strong NW to N winds have created areas of unstable windslab mainly on SE to S aspects, but also due to localised corrie winds, on some E and N aspects in the Northern Corries. Many slopes are wind-scoured and approaches to some climbs in the Northern Corries are free of new slab. Cornices are building mainly over SE and S aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 24/2/01 Snow showers on mainly NW to N winds will further add to accumulations of slab on mainly SE to S aspects, where there will also be further cornice development. Approaches to Loch Avon Basin will again be affected. Some scarp slopes and gully heads on Northerly aspects will also contain fresh slab. Avalanches are likely due to instabilities in new deposits and their poor bonding to underlying snow-ice. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: General cover above 600m. ICING: Widespread open-slope icing; climbs much improved. COMMENT: Localised unstable slab in N. Corries. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 23/2/01 Fresh snow and strong NW winds overnight have produced fresh areas of unstable windslab in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations exist on SE and S facing slopes and gullies above 900 metres. Some other sheltered aspects are also affected. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Avalanche activity observed on E and SE aspects at 1200m. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 24/2/01 Continuing snow showers and NW winds will form further areas of unstable snow in sheltered locations. Main accumulations will be on steep E, SE and S aspects above 900 metres. Other sheltered aspects will also be affected. Avalanches are likely in the above mentioned locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Old windblown snow remains hard frozen and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow above 400m. ICING: Freezing at all levels overnight and during Saturday. COMMENT: Large areas of old frozen snow still present. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 23/2/01 A light cover of new snow is lying above 200 metres in the glen. Strong winds mainly from the North-West have scoured much of the hill giving a hard icy surface. Wind transportation of the new snow has formed areas of very unstable windslab in locations sheltered from the prevailing winds. Greatest accumulations were found to exist at the tops of sheltered gullies and on East to South facing scarp slopes above 900 metres. In these areas the new windslab was very weakly bonded to the old snow. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 24/2/01 Much of the snowpack will remain icy and will be very stable, but cold conditions with snow showers and strong Northerly winds overnight and on Saturday will continue to load existing areas of weakly bonded windslab in sheltered gullies and on lee slopes with an East through South to South-West aspect. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) and avalanches are likely. Stability on areas exposed to the strong winds will very good with a hard icy surface continuing to develop. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 200m. ICING: Ice forming on rocks above 300m. COMMENT: Snowpack hard and icy, axe and crampons essential. Cornice formations will be prone to collapse. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 23/2/01 Heavy snow showers falling on strong winds have continued the development of unstable windslab. This is to be found above 700 metres in sheltered locations on E through to S aspects. Exposed slopes remain stable. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). New cornices are soft and unstable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 24/2/01 With some further snow showers overnight and during the day stability will not significantly improve. Some windslab will be found in sheltered NE aspects but greatest amounts will be on E through to S aspects above 700 metres and avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reasonable from 700 metres. ICING: Poor observation conditions but unlikely to have shown any improvement. COMMENT: New cornice developments will remain suspect. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 23/2/01 Gale force West to North-West winds have scoured the fresh snow from many West facing slopes and built deposits of very unstable windslab in sheltered gullies and on steep scarp slopes, beneath cornices, of a North through East to South-East aspect above 800 metres. Avalanche debris was noted below Cinderella (triggered by cornice collapse) and in Raeburn's Gully. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 24/2/01 With temperatures dropping to below freezing at all levels existing soft slab will be slow to consolidate. Snow showers on strong North to North-West winds will continue to accumulate fresh windslab deposits, and North through East to South-East facing gullies and scarp slopes above 750 metres will again be particularly affected. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow at all levels this morning, melting back during the day leaving main cover above 700 metres. Many slopes wind-scoured snow-ice. ICING: Good build up of ice on Post Face and Inner Coire routes, but gullies and exits will continue to be loaded with unstable windslab. COMMENT: A lot of Meggie's nice new snow seems to have blown into Loch Laggan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------