NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 6/1/04 Colder conditions overnight re-froze the snowpack above 700 metres, with some snow showers on strong Westerlies and drifting above 1000 metres. There are still substantial accumulations in North-facing corries, with main gully lines more or less complete, along with some ice build-up. The snowpack is stable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 7/1/04 Calmer conditions overnight will be followed milder weather with rain on increasingly strong South-South-Westerly winds. The snowpack will become wet and instabilities will develop where significant accumulations remain on any aspect above 800 metres. Any surviving cornices will be unstable. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Cover is still reasonable, despite recent thaw. ICING: A few pitches resisting, for the moment. COMMENT: Perhaps some colder conditions in longer range. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 6/1/04 Cooler conditions during Tuesday have helped consolidate the existing wet snowpack. Snow showers above 800m have started to form fresh areas of shallow windslab. Accumulations are generally restricted to the tops of steep slopes and gullies with North East to South East aspects. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 7/1/04 Areas of fresh windslab will continue to form at the tops of steep slopes and gullies with North through East to South East aspects overnight. As temperatures rise with rain at all levels early on Wednesday, snowpack stability will decrease on the above aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Fresh cornices will be prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best cover remaining in high N and E facing corries. ICING: Freezing above 1100m today (6/1/04) COMMENT: Wet and increasingly windy for Wednesday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 6/1/04 Snow showers above 850 metres and strong South-Westerly winds have formed pockets of soft slab in sheltered summit gullies and on lee slopes mainly with a North to East aspect. The old snowpack remains soft and moist in most locations with deeper accumulations remaining in sheltered areas of North and East facing corries and gullies above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 7/1/04 Windslab will initially form in sheltered locations overnight before milder conditions affect the area with moderate rain at all levels. Deepest accumulation of windslab will be in sheltered summit gullies and on slopes with a North to East aspect above 850 metres. Bonding where deeper windslab forms will be moderate to weak particularly during initial period of thaw. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 850 metres. ICING: Ice above 850 metres. COMMENT: Poor outlook, mild with rain. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 6/1/04 On the highest summits surface layers have started to firm up a little but the majority of the remaining patchy snow is soft but generally well bonded. There has been a trace of new snow with very light snow showers occurring above 900 metres but these have had no effect on the avalanche hazard which is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 7/1/04 Wet and mild conditions will continue to thaw the patchy cover at all levels. In deeper deposits surface layers will be soft and wet but generally well bonded to the denser layers beneath. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). There will be potential for falling ice and rocks due to the thaw conditions. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reduced to extensive patches. Only limited snow exists below 900 metres. ICING: Prolonged thaw conditions have significantly reduced what little ice existed. COMMENT: Unlikely to be a pleasant day on the hills. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 6/1/04 Some sleety showers on South-West to West winds have created some thin, localised accumulations of new windslab on steep North East to East aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). The snowpack is thawing but generally well-stablised in all other locations. Cornices are still in place over many steep North-East through East to South-facing slopes and gullies. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 7/1/04 Wet, mild weather will again prevail after a brief period of colder conditions. The avalanche hazard will remain Moderate (Category 2) where the most recent thin windslab lies on North- East to East aspects above 1000 metres. The snowpack will show reasonable stability in all other locations, although remaining cornices will become wet and prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very patchy below 700m. ICING: What ice remains is thin and rotten. No immediate improvement expected. COMMENT: The outlook is wet and mild (again). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------