CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 Heavy rain showers at all levels on strong Westerly winds. The snowpack is generally well bonded, but remains patchy and limited to locations above 800 metres. Glide cracks are in evidence in some deeper deposits on North to East aspects above 800 metres and melt water continues to lubricate the base of the snowpack in continued thaw. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Surviving cornice remnants, falling rock and ice remain a hazard. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Snow showers through the day on severe gale force North-West winds. Fresh isolated areas of windslab will form on East to South aspects above 850 metres. Deepest deposits will be found at the tops of gullies, steep scarp slopes and sheltered hollows. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere snowpack stability will show signs of improvement in colder temperatures. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very patchy with most gully lines broken or very thin. ICING: Remaining very poor. COMMENT: A brief return to more seasonal conditions? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 The thaw continues with rain at all levels. Localised wet snow surface instabilities are present on steep North through East to South East aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Slightly colder conditions are expected during Friday with some light snow showers during the afternoon. Snowpack stability will remain generally good through out the period. As the snow showers become established, localised areas of windslab will form mainly at the tops of East, South-East and South aspects above 1000m. The avalanche hazard will increase to Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Greatest amounts remaining on North and East facing slopes above 900 metres. ICING: Getting slightly cooler again on Friday. COMMENT: Remaining windy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 The wind speed did not quite make 100 mph but nonetheless it was a strong Westerly day with some heavy rain showers. The top metre of the snowpack has been thoroughly rain soaked. Where the snowpack is greater than 1 metre in depth the foot penetration is no more than 20 centimetres in moist snow. The stability is good. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Cooling is forecast with light snow showers and continuing strong winds from the South-West veering North-West. The deeper snowpack stability will remain good with some very small pockets of new snow instability on North-East and South- East aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Some ribbons of snow on the plateau; Feith Buidhe in full spate. ICING: A few remnants of the last ice age. COMMENT: Rockfall in the warm conditions continues to be quite frequent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 Heavy rain overnight continued to reduce the snowcover. Most of the remaining snow is now to be found in the higher North and East facing corries. Snowpack stability is generally good on all but the very steepest slopes and gullies where wet snow instabilities remain. Areas affected are mainly around the tops of Northerly and Easterly facing slopes and gullies above 950 metres. Weak thawing cornices threaten some of these areas. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Precipitation overnight will initially fall as light rain at all levels. With cooler conditions later this will turn to snow showers on a gale force North-Westerly wind. Initially shallow moderately bonded windslab will form around the tops of sheltered gullies and slopes with a North-East to Southerly aspect mainly above 900 metres. As the day progresses showers are forecast to become more frequent. Accumulations of windslab will become less stable during this period as depths increase. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) where deeper windslab forms on steeper slopes or where old snow ice underlies. Cornices will remain prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Above 850 metres. ICING: Not a lot. COMMENT: Mild overnight becoming a bit cooler on Friday with freezing levels down to 1000 metres. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 The wind speed did not quite make 100 mph but nonetheless it was a strong Westerly day with some heavy rain showers. The top metre of the snowpack has been thoroughly rain soaked. Where the snowpack is greater than 1 metre in depth the foot penetration is no more than 20 centimetres in moist snow. The stability is good. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Cooling is forecast with light snow showers and continuing strong winds from the South-West veering North-West. The deeper snowpack stability will remain good with some very small pockets of new snow instability on North-East and South- East aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Some ribbons of snow on the plateau; Feith Buidhe in full spate. ICING: A few remnants of the last ice age. COMMENT: Rockfall in the warm conditions continues to be quite frequent. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 The thaw continues with rain at all levels. Localised wet snow surface instabilities are present on steep North through East to South East aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Slightly colder conditions are expected during Friday with some light snow showers during the afternoon. Snowpack stability will remain generally good through out the period. As the snow showers become established, localised areas of windslab will form mainly at the tops of East, South-East and South aspects above 1000m. The avalanche hazard will increase to Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Greatest amounts remaining on North and East facing slopes above 900 metres. ICING: Getting slightly cooler again on Friday. COMMENT: Remaining windy. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 Heavy rain overnight continued to reduce the snowcover. Most of the remaining snow is now to be found in the higher North and East facing corries. Snowpack stability is generally good on all but the very steepest slopes and gullies where wet snow instabilities remain. Areas affected are mainly around the tops of Northerly and Easterly facing slopes and gullies above 950 metres. Weak thawing cornices threaten some of these areas. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Precipitation overnight will initially fall as light rain at all levels. With cooler conditions later this will turn to snow showers on a gale force North-Westerly wind. Initially shallow moderately bonded windslab will form around the tops of sheltered gullies and slopes with a North-East to Southerly aspect mainly above 900 metres. As the day progresses showers are forecast to become more frequent. Accumulations of windslab will become less stable during this period as depths increase. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) where deeper windslab forms on steeper slopes or where old snow ice underlies. Cornices will remain prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Above 850 metres. ICING: Not a lot. COMMENT: Mild overnight becoming a bit cooler on Friday with freezing levels down to 1000 metres. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 The remaining snow is patchy in nature with only sheltered locations and corrie headwalls retaining any significant snow. Above 900 metres surface layers are variable in density with some areas weight bearing and others with foot penetration up to 15cm. Deposits on all aspects are stable and well bonded. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Frequent snow showers on very strong NW winds are forecast for Friday afternoon. New deposits will start to build in very sheltered locations on E to S aspects. With the freezing level lowering to 900 metres the old snow will begin to refreeze and where new deposits form over this firm base layer bonding will be poor. Initially new deposits will be of insignificant depth but as the afternoon progresses the excessive winds will form locally deeper accumulations. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very limited patchy cover. ICING: Broken ice remaining on some Lochnagar routes. Water running on cliffs. Snow lying on broad ledges only. COMMENT: A few easier snow gullies remain just about complete on Lochnagar. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 5/2/04 Heavy rain showers at all levels on strong Westerly winds. The snowpack is generally well bonded, but remains patchy and limited to locations above 800 metres. Glide cracks are in evidence in some deeper deposits on North to East aspects above 800 metres and melt water continues to lubricate the base of the snowpack in continued thaw. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Surviving cornice remnants, falling rock and ice remain a hazard. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 6/2/04 Snow showers through the day on severe gale force North-West winds. Fresh isolated areas of windslab will form on East to South aspects above 850 metres. Deepest deposits will be found at the tops of gullies, steep scarp slopes and sheltered hollows. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere snowpack stability will show signs of improvement in colder temperatures. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very patchy with most gully lines broken or very thin. ICING: Remaining very poor. COMMENT: A brief return to more seasonal conditions? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------