NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 24/2/03 Winds moderated overnight and became Southerly, giving a clear, sunny day. The recent thaw-freeze cycle has substantially stabilised the snowpack and any wind transport has been minimal. The hard surface layer requires to be isolated before a shear can be obtained. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 25/2/03 The dry weather will continue, with strengthening Southerly winds. Some limited areas of new slab may form on Northerly aspects above 1000 metres due to wind erosion of surface layers, but these should be readily avoidable. They will be localised to gully tops and scarp slopes. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main accumulations in recessed corries and on headwalls. ICING: Some ice pitches present and still forming. COMMENT: Difficult to find any un-trampled snow for the pit today. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 24/2/03 Localised surface instabilities are present mainly on steep Northerly aspects above 1000m. Elsewhere snowpack stability is generally good. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 25/2/03 The dry and settled weather is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. Little change is expected to the existing snowpack. Localised surface instabilities will be present on steep Northerly aspects above 1000m. Elsewhere, snowpack stability will be generally good. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main accumulations remain in N and E facing corries above 900m. ICING: Warmer again on Tuesday, but with the snow surface remaining frozen above 1000m. COMMENT: Winds increasing during Tuesday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 24/2/03 After a cool start this morning milder conditions during the course of the day have softened the surface of most of the snowpack. Recent falls of wet snow and hail above 850 metres and strong Southerly winds formed areas of soft wet slab in sheltered gullies and on North-West to North-East aspects. These areas are not deep or extensive but some wet snow surface instabilities have formed on the steepest of slopes. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Stability remains very good on many slopes. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 25/2/03 Dry and mild conditions with freezing levels above the tops will affect the area over the outlook period. The slow gradual thaw will soften and moisten the snowpack at all levels. Snowpack stability will generally become very good on all but the steepest slopes where some surface wet snow instabilities are possible. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1) but cornice collapse and falling ice will be distinct possibilities as freezing levels rise to 1500 metres on Tuesday. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 700 metres. ICING: Ice above 600m generally thawing. COMMENT: Dry mild outlook but becoming windy on the tops for Tuesday. Excellent skiing and boarding on higher runs at Glencoe Ski Centre on Monday with a widespread shallow cover of soft new snow on a firm base. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 24/2/03 It has been a clear and sunny day with light winds. After yesterday's warmer temperatures the freezing level lowered to 900 metres overnight. By morning the soft surface layers had firmed up leaving the patchy snowpack well bonded. Solar warming on S aspects has once again begun to soften the surface layers especially below 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 25/2/03 It will be a dry day with gale force winds and a freezing level of 1300 metres. The patchy snowpack will soften in the slightly milder conditions but stability is not expected to be adversely affected with the snow remaining generally well bonded. The most extensive areas of snow will tend to be found on higher E and S facing slopes. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy cover. More extensive areas on E to S aspects. ICING: Water courses holding most ice. Buttresses remain lean. COMMENT: A windy day forecast for Tuesday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS MON 24/2/03 Strong South-West winds prevailed with the freezing level at the summits. Shallow deposits of windslab persist on North-West to North- East aspects. Deposits are confined to hollows, tops of gullies and lee slopes below cornices and pose no significant hazard. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere snowpack stability remains generally good although softening rapidly at lower altitudes. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK TUE 25/2/03 It will remain dry with freezing levels remaining above the summits throughout the forecast period with gale force Southerly winds. Shallow deposits of soft slab will persist on North-West to North-East aspects above 900 metres. These deposits remain so shallow that they do not pose a hazard. However with warm temperatures cornices will become suspect and large cornices are still present above many steep aspects. The avalanche hazard will remain Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Still reasonable cover in corries and most gullies. ICING: A little mushy on lower pitches but remaining generally good. COMMENT: Watch out for Cornice collapse in warm temperatures, run outs will be long. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------