NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 8/2/04 The very cold Northerly airstream has continued and snow showers cleared during the morning. Further slab has built mainly on East through South to South-West aspects above 950 metres. Where sampled at 950 metres on a South-East aspect the new slab triggered easily and showed very easy shears between hard and soft layers. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 9/2/04 Winds backing North-West to Westerly will ease to leave a fine dry day with summit temperatures well below freezing. Snowpack stability will remain poor and avalanches are likely, especially on East through South to South-West aspects above 950 metres where further slab will build. Cornices will also continue to build on these aspects. Northerly aspects will be affected with pockets of instability mainly on steep gully exits and crag aprons. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Most of the snow has blown over to Southerly aspects. ICING: Buttresses are icing up. COMMENT: Plenty of winter sport happening today! LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 8/2/04 Snow showers on a North-Westerly wind have formed areas of wind slab in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations are present on North-East through East to South aspects above 900 metres. Steep slopes, gully exits and scarp slopes are particularly affected. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 9/2/04 A cold West-North-West airflow will continue overnight and during Monday. No fresh snow is expected but winds will continue to build areas of unstable wind slab on sheltered aspects. Greatest accumulations will be present on steep North- East through East to South aspects above 900 metres, where avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Unstable cornices will be present. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow at all levels today (8/2/04) ICING: Freezing level at 500 metres tomorrow. (9/2/04) COMMENT: As high pressure builds, tomorrow looks like the day to be on the hill. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 8/2/04 A combination of frequent heavy snow showers and scouring strong Northerly winds have formed weakly bonded accumulations of soft slab in all sheltered areas. The greatest accumulations of unstable snow are on East to South aspects but also in all sheltered summit gullies above 800 metres. Fresh hail is present within some of these accumulations giving an easy shear especially on scarp slopes. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Cornices are also very unstable AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 9/2/04 Fresh North-Westerly winds and light snow showers will die out during Sunday night with dry conditions during Monday. However weakly bonded windslab will be present and continuing to form on slopes and in sheltered gullies with an East to South aspect mainly above 850 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 200 metres ICING: Ice forming above 600m lowing to 300m. COMMENT: Looks like a nice day for Monday. Scarp slopes very weakly bonded. Cornices will be also prone to collapse. Climbs with a Northerly aspect are improving. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 8/2/04 At times during the night there was heavy snow with continuously cold strong North-Westerly winds. During the day the snowfall eased with periods of sunshine and heavy drifting. The snowpack had several easy shears in the top 70 centimetres. The extent of the unstable slab is mainly limited to the tops of gullies, corrie rims and some approach slopes. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 9/2/04 Snow showers and winds will ease while temperatures remain cold. Unstable storm slab will persist on mainly Easterly and Southerly aspects above 900 metres. Some local terrain features on corrie rims, tops of gullies and approach slopes will also have pockets of unstable slab. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Some improvement in cover on Southerly aspects. ICING: Classic ice routes not generally in the guide book condition. COMMENT: Pockets of unstable slab to be watched for. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 8/2/04 Heavy prolonged snow showers on gale force West to North winds have led to the continued development of widespread deep unstable windslab. North-East through East to South aspects above 600 metres are affected with variable depths with avalanche activity noted on a steep Easterly slope at 950 metres. Field tests showed poor stability with very easy shears obtained from multiple weak sub-surface layers. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 9/2/04 Strong West to North winds and cold temperatures will continue unstable windslab development on North-East through East to South aspects above 600 metres and avalanches will occur in these locations. Particularly affected will be sheltered hollows, scarp slopes and gullies and triggering will remain possible with low additional loads. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Large unstable cornices will continue to form above steep sheltered aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow at all levels with waist deep drifts on approach routes. ICING: Generally poor and horribly buried! COMMENT: Weather on the summits today (8/2/04) a little like filling your washing machine with snow, turning on the spin cycle and jumping in! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------