NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 12/2/02 Heavy overnight snow showers gave way to a near windless day with an occasional light shower of snow. There have been some new accumulations of slab on North and East aspects above 900 metres, but these show instability only in isolated locations. There is some new cornice build-up above Easterly aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 13/2/02 Colder conditions with moderate Northerly winds and isolated snow showers, will not bring much new accumulation. Aspects from South-East to South-West above 1000 metres will see a little new slab build-up. Aspects above 900 metres, mainly North-West through North to South-East, will still contain isolated pockets up to half a metre deep which give easy shears. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Better cover above 700m. ICING: Climbs improving with some good ice reported. COMMENT: Much colder: winter returns again. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 12/2/02 Strong SW winds with snow above 900m have produced fresh deposits of unstable snow. With the freezing level around the summits this unstable snow is dense soft slab and shows an easy shear under test. Greatest accumulations are in sheltered gullies and on scarp slopes with N through E to SE aspects above 1100m. Sheltered open slopes are becoming increasingly affected. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Avalanche debris noted on many of the above aspects. Cornices prone to collapse. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 13/2/02 Colder conditions will help consolidate the existing wet snowpack below 1100m. Snow and light NE winds overnight will add to deposits of unstable slab in sheltered locations. Accumulations will be variable in distribution, from N through E to SE aspects above 1000m, with some redistribution to S and SW aspects. Gully tops, scarp slopes will be particularly affected. Avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Cornices prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow above 900m. ICING: Freezing around the summits today. COMMENT: Conditions improving on Wednesday, freezing levels lowering to 300m. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 12/2/02 Mild conditions with freezing levels above the tops last night and today have maintained a moist/wet snowpack. Greatest deposits of snow exist in the higher North to East facing slopes, corries and in sheltered gullies where some deep soft accumulations exist. On steep slopes threatened by weak cornices the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) elswhere the snowpack is soft moist but is generally stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 13/2/02 Much colder conditions will bring moderate new snow overnight and light falls later on Wednesday. Stability of the existing snowpack will be generally good as a melt freeze crust starts to form. Fresh Northerly winds will form windslab on slopes above 850m with a South to West aspect and in gullies sheltered from the prevailing wind. These deposits are not expected to be deep or extensive. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2) in localised areas where accumulations of windslab form on top of the older snow. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 800m ICING: Highest levels only but will start to improve COMMENT: Colder conditions will start to improve climbing conditions on higher routes. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 12/2/02 Soft windslab is to be found on NE through to S aspects above 900 metres. Lighter winds have led to increased snow cover on open slopes as well as in sheltered locations. Deposits are weakly bonded even on easier angled slopes. Numerous deposits of avalanche debris were noted on an E aspect with release zones at 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 13/2/02 It will be very cold with deposits remaining dry and available for redistribution. Consolidation will be slow with weakly bonded soft windslab being found on NE through to S aspects above 900 metres. Cornices, gully exits, convex slopes and sheltered locations are likely to provide the greatest hazard. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover above 900 metres. ICING: Better in the highest N to E facing corries. Powder will require clearing. COMMENT: Some good snow for ski touring available higher up. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 12/2/02 There has been fairly heavy snowfall in the last period but wind speed has been light so little drifting has occurred. Additionally it has remained relatively mild with the freezing level just above the summits. The result of these conditions is that soft, wet slab has been deposited predominantly on North through East to South-East aspects above 800 metres. A shear could still be obtained in field tests, although some consolidation has occurred. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 13/2/02 It will become much colder with occasional snow showers on moderate to fresh, variable Northerly winds. Tuesday's damp snowpack will freeze and consolidate on all aspects. Then, light drifting will cause shallow accumulations of fresh windslab to form on top of the now frozen underlying snowpack in the tops of sheltered gullies on South-East to South-West aspects above 900 metres. Any hazard is likely to be encountered on South- East aspects as other Southerly aspects have very thin underlying snow cover. Moderate (Category 2) avalanche hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow above 800 metres. Main cover above 800 metres. ICING: Poor, but its going to get colder, so should improve. COMMENT: Sluffing from rocks has caused loose snow activity on many steep aspects. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------