NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 28/2/03 It was another dry day with strong Southerly winds up to 80 miles per hour. The summit of Cairn Gorm remained just below freezing. There was a noticeable warming in the surface snowpack and near surface layer. Loose surface snow on steep ground showed no sluffing characteristics. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 1/3/03 There will be a cycle of rain tonight followed by some cooling and snow. With Southerly winds this will create areas of new slab on North aspect above 1000 metres. The bond of this new slab will be reasonably good and with the limited existing cover in starting zone elevations will not be extensive. The avalanche hazard wll be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Soft and mushy up to 800 metres but still some bone hard sections on the plateau and in gullies. ICING: Aladdin's Mirror Direct surviving heavy use. COMMENT: The cautionary nature of Category 2 could be termed, "Watch it a bit." LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 28/2/03 The snowpack is gradually thawing at all levels and is generally stable. Isolated surface instabilities are present and are restricted to steep N aspects, and are generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 1/3/03 Rain at all levels is expected overnight followed by cooler, showery conditions during Saturday. The snowpack will continue to gradually thaw at all levels overnight. A slight lowering of the freezing level during Saturday will start to re-freeze the snowpack above 900m. Snow showers and Southerly winds will produce shallow areas of fresh windslab mainly at the tops on NW, N and NE aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best cover in high N and E facing corries. ICING: Warm overnight but freezing level lowering to around 1000m on Saturday. COMMENT: The rain should ease off and be replaced by snow showers on Saturday morning. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 28/2/03 Mild and dry conditions today have affected the area maintaining the slow gradual thaw. The snowpack is soft and moist at all levels with some noticeable reduction of coverage at lower levels. Stability is generally good in most locations with only isolated surface wet snow instabilities remaining on the steepest slopes. These areas are generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 1/3/03 Heavy rain is forecast overnight turning to sleet by early morning. As freezing levels lower during Saturday snow showers and Southerly gales will form localised areas of windslab in sheltered gullies and on North-West to North-East slopes. Greatest accumulations will form around the tops of gullies and scarp slopes. Where these deposits form on steeper slopes bonding will be poor to the underlying older snow. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere the existing snowpack will generally be stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 800 metres mainly in high Northerly facing corries and gullies. ICING: Ice above 800m generally thawing. COMMENT: Limited climbing conditions but hopefully will start to improve with snow showers on Saturday, still some good skiing and boarding on upper runs at Glencoe Ski Centre with widespread cover of soft spring snow. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 28/2/03 There was some overnight rain with the freezing level around 1000 metres. There has been further snow loss particularly under 900 metres. Patchy cover is restricted mainly to areas on E to S aspects but remains generally well bonded. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 1/3/03 An occluded front will bring high amounts of rain overnight which will have the potential to turn wintry at higher elevations early on Saturday. Falling in S gale force winds any new deposits will form in sheltered locations on NW to NE aspects. In gully exits, scarp slopes and other steep slopes stability will be suspect where accumulations form over older snow-ice. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy cover. More extensive areas on E to S aspects. ICING: Subject to thaw conditions. COMMENT: 1200 metre freezing level on Friday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 28/2/03 There has been no further snowfall and it has become mild with the freezing level above the summits. Although the snowpack has softened and dampened at the surface, it remains generally well bonded and stable on all aspects. Despite snow slopes being stable the slow thaw is causing snow to sluff from underlying rocks with collapsing ice and rock fall from steep ground. Cornices are increasingly suspect in the milder air. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 1/3/03 It will be very wet and mild overnight before it turns slightly colder early in the morning. The snowpack will become further saturated on all aspects before settling down a little as the temperature drops. Rain will turn to sleet or snow on a gale force Southerly wind. Initially this fresh snow will bond with the underlying wet snow, however in the tops of the most sheltered gullies on North-West to North-East aspects above 900 metres slightly deeper windslab could form. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good depth in the gullies, but we could do with more now. ICING: Still pretty good on the Post Face and in the Inner Coire, but starting to collapse and melt. COMMENT: Looks like the slow thaw will continue at all but the highest levels. You should have been here last week! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------