NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 5/3/03 Trace amounts of snow fell above 850 metres with the strong Southerly winds easing somewhat during the day. From 900 metres up there is still a dry layer of snow below the rain soaked surface layer up to 30 centimetres thick. This interface gives a clean shear but does not extend across the slope. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 6/3/03 The forecast dry and cooler conditions will further tighten up the snowpack, particularly where the surface crust remains intact above 850 metres. On some North aspect terrain a small new slab will have limited potential to fail under high additional load. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Foot penetrations highly variable, through surface crust and moist snow, up to 40 cm. ICING: Leaking but still viable sections. COMMENT: Snow amounts additional to forecast values will rapidly change stability. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 5/3/03 Cooler conditions overnight have helped consolidate the existing wet snowpack. Light snow showers and strong SW winds have formed isolated shallow areas of fresh snow above 900m. Surface instabilities are present on steep NW to N through to E aspects above 900m. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Cornices are prone to collapse. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 6/3/03 A strong WSW airflow with snow showers during the next 24 hours will see fresh areas of windslab form in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations will be on steep N through to E aspects above 900m, notably the tops of gullies, scarp slopes and below crags. Any windblown slopes will become hard frozen. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Fresh soft cornices will form. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best cover in high N and E facing corries. ICING: Colder conditions should help overnight and on Thursday. Freezing level expected to be around 800m. COMMENT: A long wet walk to the snow today (Wednesday). GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 5/3/03 Cooler conditions overnight started to firm up the surface of the snowpack at higher levels. Light snow showers at the highest levels and winds from the South-West are forming pockets of shallow soft slab around the tops of sheltered summit gullies and on scarp slopes with a North to East aspect mainly above 1000 metres. At time of observation these new deposits were not found to be of any significant depth and were generally avoidable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 6/3/03 With freezing levels around 1000 metres for the outlook period the snowpack at higher levels will continue to consolidate. Light snow showers and strong South-Westerly winds overnight and on Thursday will form isolated areas of windslab around the tops of sheltered gullies and on scarp slopes with a North to East aspect mainly above 900 metres. Windslab accumulations are not expected to be extensive or of any great depth. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). In many areas the snowpack will be stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 800 metres mainly in higher corries and gullies ICING: Thawing at most levels. COMMENT: Areas of fresh windslab will require caution. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 5/3/03 The freezing level rose to well above all summits late on Tuesday before dropping sharply to around 850 metres after midnight. Shallow deposits have firmed up well but deeper accumulations have a surface crust with soft wet snow beneath. The patchy snowpack is generally well bonded but localised areas of soft wet grains are moderately bonded to an old crust beneath. These deposits exist in steeper sheltered locations on mainly N to E aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 6/3/03 There will be little change to the present situation with the freezing level at 1000 metres tonight and tomorrow. Above this altitude the snowpack will continue to re-freeze leaving it generally well bonded. The localised areas of moderately bonded snow that exist in steeper sheltered locations on mainly N to E aspects above 900 metres will require prolonged colder temperatures before they fully stabilise and therefore the avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy but firming up. ICING: Nothing useful observed today. COMMENT: Ptarmigan and hares are getting very confused: is it March or May? CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 5/3/03 Snow stability has improved above 900 metres with colder summit temperatures, open windward slopes were hard and well bonded with moderately bonded windslab still in evidence on North-West through North to East aspects. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Light snow showers above 900 metres on a strong South-West wind are beginning to form isolated and very shallow accumulations of fresh slab on North to East aspects but these do not pose a hazard. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 6/3/03 Snow showers are to continue throughout the forecast period on a strong South-Westerly wind. Fresh windslab will continue to build on North to East aspects above 850 metres. Accumulations will be deepest in sheltered hollows, the tops of gullies and lee slopes below cornices. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Windward aspects will remain hard and well bonded above 850 metres with lower altitudes soft and wet. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Light dusting above 900 metres. ICING: Thawing at low levels, still good high on cliffs. COMMENT: Good winter conditions on summits, shame about the soaking at lower levels. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------