NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 16/2/03 Wind from the South was the big feature today and managed to strip and harden South aspects with some minor build-up on North aspects above 1000 metres. The snowpack is generally stable. There are some areas, mainly on North aspect, still giving clean shears due to the slab on early stage facets above crust. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 17/2/03 The strong Southerly winds will continue. There will be some potential for the newly developing slab to release on North aspects above 1000 metres due to additional load of re- distributed snow. Facet development will continue with easier shears becoming more widespread. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Spindrift on some N aspect terrain and high speed re-distributed snow with sand on parts of plateau. Some cornice buildup on N aspect. ICING: Flat ice growing, not much change on the steep. COMMENT: Moderate grade climbs are still generally considered slightly harder than advertised grade. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 16/2/03 Cold, dry conditions have seen little change in the generally stable snowpack. Isolated shallow areas of hard windslab are present in sheltered locations. Accumulations are restricted to high Northerly aspects, mainly the tops of gullies and scarp slopes, and are generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 17/2/03 Light snow showers overnight with a strong S to SW airflow will see little change. Isolated shallow areas of windslab will remain in sheltered locations. Accumulations will be restricted to high N and NE aspects, mainly the tops of gullies and scarp slopes. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere the snowpack will be hard frozen and generally stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main accumulations in N and E facing corries. ICING: Watercourses freezing from 200m on Sunday. COMMENT: Remaining windy and cold. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 16/2/03 With cold settled conditions affecting the area at present the snowpack has developed melt-freeze crust in most areas and is generally stable. Isolated areas of fresh windslab exist above 900m with the greatest accumulations being around the tops of sheltered gullies and slopes with a North-West to North-East aspect. These areas are generally well bonded but deeper areas require some caution. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). On many slopes stability is very good. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 17/2/03 Light snow showers overnight and strong South-Westerly winds will form areas of shallow windslab in sheltered gullies and on slopes with a North-West to North-Easterly aspect. These deposits will generally be shallow and localised mainly to the tops of gullies and sheltered scarp slopes. Bonding to underlying snow- ice will be moderate where any deeper deposits form on steeper slopes; elsewhere stability will generally be good. Avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 700 metres. ICING: Ice forming above 100m in watercourses and on rocks. COMMENT: Deeper areas of fresh windslab will require caution, elsewhere snowpack is re-frozen, axe and crampons essential. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 16/2/03 The snowpack remains well bonded on all aspects. Cover tends to be patchy with more extensive areas on E to S aspects. The snow pack is generally firm with some crusty areas. Cold temperatures have continued the development of faceted crystals in colder shaded locations. Solar warming and subsequent refreezing has encouraged more icy conditions underfoot on S aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 17/2/03 It will remain cold with gale force S winds causing some drifting. Deposits available for redistribution are limited and any accumulations in sheltered locations on N aspects are unlikely to be significant. The patchy snowpack will remain generally well bonded on all aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy firm cover. More extensive areas on E to S aspects. ICING: Watercourses are providing reasonable sport, Lochnagar buttress routes remain very lean. COMMENT: Keen ski tourers are successfully linking areas using filled in burn lines and the higher hills. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 16/2/03 It was a dry day with a strong South-West wind. General snowpack stability remains good with hard well-bonded slab on all aspects; Southerly aspects are becoming increasingly icy due to thaw-freeze cycles. Strong winds have begun snow transport of recent fragile surface crystals and shallow pockets of fresh slab have formed on North to East aspects above 900 metres. These are very isolated and only the most sheltered hollows, tops of gullies and lee slopes below cornices are affected. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 17/2/03 It will remain cold with light snowfall forecast overnight. Winds will remain gale force and from the South-West. Snow transport will affect North to East aspects above 850 metres with sheltered hollows, the tops of gullies and lee slopes below cornices particularly affected. Bonding of fresh deposits will be very poor. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) due to fresh slab. On many slopes snowpack stability will remain good with hard well-bonded snow. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover in corries. ICING: Inner Coire and Post Face provide best conditions, still lean elsewhere. COMMENT: Routes seem to be holding on considering the thrashing they are receiving over the weekend! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------