NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 10/2/03 Overnight the winds have strengthened from the South, and this has been accompanied by snow showers. This has deposited hard and soft slab on North aspects above 750 meters. This new snow is reasonably bonded to the underlying snow-ice but shows instabilities between layers. Slab accumulations are fairly isolated and many North aspects are wind scoured. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 11/2/03 Snow showers will continue overnight and into Tuesday. The winds will veer round to a Westerly direction and ease. This will build soft slab on Easterly aspects above 900 metres. Unstable slab from Monday's snow will continue to be found on Northerly aspects. Avalanches are likely on North to East aspects where significant deposits of fresh snow exist. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thin fresh cover above 600m. ICING: Some reasonable ice on higher locations. COMMENT: Due to high winds slab accumulations are very localised. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 10/2/03 Strong to gale force S to SE winds and snow above 900m have moved into the forecast area early during Monday. Fresh areas of unstable snow are forming on Northerly aspects, notably steep slopes, scarp slopes and the tops of gullies. Below 900m the snowpack is gradually thawing. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 11/2/03 A WSW airflow with snow showers will continue overnight. Areas of windslab will be present on NW through N to E aspects above 900m. Sheltered areas such as the tops of gullies and scarp slopes will hold the greatest accumulations. As the wind becomes WNW during Tuesday windslab will form on E and SE aspects. Avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Unstable cornices will be present. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Sleet and snow from 700m on Monday. ICING: Wet and lean low down on the Ben today, better above 900m. COMMENT: Winds moderating on Tuesday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 10/2/03 New snow is falling above 750m with the great accumulations being in sheltered gullies with a Northerly aspect. The strong Southerly winds have started to form layered windslab above 850m on most Northerly aspects. The new snow layers are weakly bonded especially on steep slopes. Deep deposits of new snow exist on steeper ground and at the tops of gullies. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 11/2/03 Snow showers will continue through Monday night becoming less frequent during Tuesday. Strong WSW to WNW winds will continue to form unstable areas of windslab in all sheltered areas above 800m. New deposits are expected to be significant above 850m with the greatest accumulations being on slopes with a North to Easterly aspect and in areas such as sheltered gullies. Deep layered deposits of fresh windslab will exist: the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) and avalanches are likely on these steep aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 650 metres. ICING: Above 850m. COMMENT: Stormy conditions during Monday night. Tuesday - less frequent snow showers and winds abating. Ridges and buttresses the safer option. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 10/2/03 Some limited snow fall has arrived this afternoon on strong S winds. At present it is insignificant in depth even on sheltered N aspects. The patchy snow pack is firm and well bonded at all levels. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 11/2/03 There will be further light showers tonight becoming scattered on Tuesday. As the winds ease they will move from the South through to W to NW by tomorrow. Fresh deposits will be found on NW through to SE aspects. Where deposits settle on steeper re-frozen snow bonding will be minimal but in general accumulations are not expected to be deep. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Exposed snow will remain firm. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy firm cover. Larger areas on E to S aspects. ICING: Some limited growth. Plenty underfoot! COMMENT: Bonding will be minimal between fresh deposits and a snow-ice base. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 10/2/03 Overnight cold temperatures and dry conditions have left the snowpack hard, well bonded and stable on all aspects. However storm force Southerly winds and snow showers have begun to build isolated fresh windslab deposits on North-West to North-East aspects above 850 metres. Sheltered hollows, the tops of gullies and steep lee slopes below cornices of the above mentioned aspects are particularly affected. Field tests produced a clean and very easy shear with hard underlying snow providing a sliding surface. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 11/2/03 Snow showers are to continue on a strong Westerly wind. As drifting continues fresh weakly bonded windslab will continue to build on North through East to South aspects above 850 metres. Particularly affected will be sheltered hollows, the tops of gullies and lee slopes below cornices and triggering of these fresh deposits may be possible with low additional loads. More open slopes may be affected later in the period as snowfall continues. The avalanche hazard will remain Considerable (Category 3). Fresh, weak cornice fringes will continue to build on above-mentioned aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Generally patchy with snow falling above 800 metres. ICING: Improving slowly but still not great. COMMENT: Great fun clinging to the heather and rocks on the summits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------