NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 24/1/02 Snow to low elevations with strong North and West winds has produced soft slab areas with up to 50 centimetres of foot penetration. This new slab sits on a very soft layer immediately above the crust. It shears very easily in field test and can be found on a variety of aspects, mainly South and East above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 25/1/02 Heavy snow is expected on Friday with the strongest winds for snow transport from the South-East. In the cold temperatures the buried instability will persist above 1000 metres on various aspects particularly the exit slopes of some climbs. The approach slopes above 900 metres will have a new snow instability due to heavy snowfall. This will be on most aspects due to localised wind loading. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: It's nearly back to reasonable skiing threshold on the plateau. ICING: Improving slowly. COMMENT: Existing hazard in the Northern Corries will increase throughout the day. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 24/1/02 Colder conditions have helped consolidate soft slab deposits on N through to W aspects. NNE winds with snow showers have started to form fresh deposits of soft slab in sheltered locations. Accumulations are generally restricted to steep slopes and the tops of gullies with SE through to SW aspects above 800m. Deposits are localised and generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 25/1/02 Heavy snow and SE winds are expected on Friday. Increasing deposits of soft slab will occur in many sheltered locations. Steep slopes, gullies and scarp slopes with W through to N aspects above 800m will be particularly affected. As winds increase during Friday the above aspects will become increasingly suspect. Areas such as Observatory gully on the Ben should be treated with caution as Friday progresses. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Cornices will form over the above aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow above 400m. ICING: Conditions improving. COMMENT: Winds increasing during Friday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 24/1/02 New snow is lying above 650m. Colder conditions have refrozen much of the old snowpack. Variable winds have formed potentially unstable accumulations of windslab mainly in sheltered hollows and around the tops of summit gullies. Where these accumulations exist on the older snow on steeper slopes the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3): elsewhere the colder conditions have made the snowpack generally stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 25/1/02 Remaining cold with heavy snow on Friday. Strengthening South-Easterly winds will re-distribute the snow forming more extensive areas of unstable windslab in many sheltered gullies and on slopes mainly with a West through North to North-East aspect Avalanche hazard Considerable (Category 3) and avalanches are likely. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 650m. ICING: Ice re-forming on rocks and paths above 600m COMMENT: Climbing conditions are improving mainly on the higher routes. Fresh cornices will be prone to collapse. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 24/1/02 A few snow showers have occurred but mainly wind distributed dry snow has led to deeper accumulations above 800 metres on E through S aspects. On steeper slopes and gully exits of mainly E aspects deposits are weakly bonded where they have depth and overlie old hard snow-ice. Heavy drifting into Black Spout at Lochnagar was noted. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Cornices are developing. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 25/1/02 With the arrival of heavy snowfall in the morning combined with redistributed snow there will be further substantial accumulations into sheltered locations on W through to E aspects. On steeper slopes above 850 metres where there is depth to the snow it will be weakly bonded and avalanches will occur. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). New cornices will be suspect. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Deeper drifts over footpaths making walk-ins tiresome. ICING: Buttresses looking a bit more wintry. Ice still limited. COMMENT: Snow will arrive during morning. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 24/1/02 Winds have been fluctuating between North-West and North-East and have increased from fresh to gale force. Snow showers and heavy drifting of existing snow has left windslab in gullies and hollows predominantly on East to South aspects and to a lesser extent on South to West aspects above 800 metres. Initially windslab bonded well with the old snowpack but is becoming increasingly fragile as deposits deepen. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 25/1/02 It will remain dry overnight, but snow will continue to drift in the strong winds. The wind direction will swing from North to South and eventually become storm force South-Easterly accompanied by heavy snowfall. Windslab will be redistributed on to North-West through North to North-East aspects above 800 metres. Cornices will grow rapidly above these aspects in the very high winds. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow at all levels. Main cover above 600 metres. ICING: Poor but improving slowly. COMMENT: Blizzards on top today (24.1.02) and it'll be worse on Friday. I can't wait! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------