NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Very warm temperatures continue, with mostly clear skies and light winds. Where sampled on an Easterly aspect at 1080 metres the snowpack is stable and over 3 metres deep. This gave very hard but clean shears where dry layers lie on moist layers in the top one metre. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Another warm day with morning inversion and light South-West winds is forecast. Above 1000 metres the snow surface will remain mostly firm in the dry conditions. The snowpack stability will be remain good with continued hazard from rockfall. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Ski touring on plateau available. ICING: Limited to nil ice routes available. COMMENT: Very loose rock on steep ground. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Dry and warm conditions prevail with summit temperatures well above freezing. The snowpack is continuing to thaw and consolidate at all levels. Localised surface instabilities are present on steep aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 South-West winds, rain and warm temperatures to the summits will continue slowly to thaw the snowpack at all levels. Snowpack stability will be generally good with localised surface instabilities remaining on steep slope inclinations. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main snow cover remaining in N and E facing corries above 900m. ICING: Any remaining ice will become increasing liable to collapse. COMMENT: Summer conditions likely for a while yet! GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Dry and settled conditions today have continued to stabilise the snowpack in most areas. Shallow wet snow instabilities remain on the steepest slopes and gullies mainly with a North-East to South-East aspect above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 The mild and dry conditions will continue overnight with moderate rain falling at all levels during Friday. During this period the snowpack will become soft and moist. Stability of much of the snowpack will remain good but wet snow instabilities will form on the steepest North-East to South-East slopes and sheltered summit gullies mainly above 950 metres. Some of these areas will remain exposed to cornice collapse. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Mainly in sheltered corries and gullies above 850 metres. ICING: Thawing all levels. COMMENT: Poor and very limited climbing conditions. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 There was a slight drop in the freezing level but generally there is not any change in conditions. The remaining patchy snow is firm and generally well bonded on all aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). Some high easier gullies still hold reasonable depths of snow. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Conditions will remain much the same. The patchy snow will be generally well bonded and stable on all aspects. Greatest accumulations will be found above 950 metres on N through E to SE aspects. High gullies will continue to hold firm snow. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). Rockfall will continue to provide hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Largest patches in higher N through E to SE corries. ICING: There is nothing really left. COMMENT: Rockfall will continue to provide hazard. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 The snow cover is now much depleted and limited to locations above 700 metres. Cool, dry conditions have aided stabilisation on all shaded North to North-East aspects above 800 metres. A little solar warming is maintaining a moist and moderately well- bonded snowpack on East through South to South-West facing slopes and gullies. Falling rock, ice and the remnants of cornices remain hazards in present conditions. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Little change is expected in the current dry conditions, although it will be somewhat cooler. The snowpack will become well stabilised in all locations and the avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). Falling rock, ice and the collapse of cornice remnants will remain a significant hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very patchy and restricted to locations above 700 metres. ICING: Pretty much non-existent and almost all popular routes incomplete. COMMENT: Some passable snow-ice available in Grade 1 or 2 gullies for those prepared to explore areas away from the beaten track. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Very warm temperatures continue, with mostly clear skies and light winds. Where sampled on an Easterly aspect at 1080 metres the snowpack is stable and over 3 metres deep. This gave very hard but clean shears where dry layers lie on moist layers in the top one metre. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Another warm day with morning inversion and light South-West winds is forecast. Above 1000 metres the snow surface will remain mostly firm in the dry conditions. The snowpack stability will remain good with continued hazard from rockfall. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Ski touring on plateau available. ICING: Limited to nil ice routes available. COMMENT: Very loose rock on steep ground. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Dry and warm conditions prevail with summit temperatures well above freezing. The snowpack is continuing to thaw and consolidate at all levels. Localised surface instabilities are present on steep aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 South-West winds, rain and warm temperatures to the summits will continue slowly to thaw the snowpack at all levels. Snowpack stability will be generally good with localised surface instabilities remaining on steep slope inclinations. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main snow cover remaining in N and E facing corries above 900m. ICING: Any remaining ice will become increasing liable to collapse. COMMENT: Summer conditions likely for a while yet! GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 Dry and settled conditions today have continued to stabilise the snowpack in most areas. Shallow wet snow instabilities remain on the steepest slopes and gullies mainly with a North-East to South-East aspect above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 The mild and dry conditions will continue overnight with moderate rain falling at all levels during Friday. During this period the snowpack will become soft and moist. Stability of much of the snowpack will remain good but wet snow instabilities will form on the steepest North-East to South-East slopes and sheltered summit gullies mainly above 950 metres. Some of these areas will remain exposed to cornice collapse. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Mainly in sheltered corries and gullies above 850 metres. ICING: Thawing all levels. COMMENT: Poor and very limited climbing conditions. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 There was a slight drop in the freezing level but generally there is not any change in conditions. The remaining patchy snow is firm and generally well bonded on all aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). Some high easier gullies still hold reasonable depths of snow. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Conditions will remain much the same. The patchy snow will be generally well bonded and stable on all aspects. Greatest accumulations will be found above 950 metres on N through E to SE aspects. High gullies will continue to hold firm snow. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). Rockfall will continue to provide hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Largest patches in higher N through E to SE corries. ICING: There is nothing really left. COMMENT: Rockfall will continue to provide hazard. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 12/2/04 The snow cover is now much depleted and limited to locations above 700 metres. Cool, dry conditions have aided stabilisation on all shaded North to North-East aspects above 800 metres. A little solar warming is maintaining a moist and moderately well- bonded snowpack on East through South to South-West facing slopes and gullies. Falling rock, ice and the remnants of cornices remain hazards in present conditions. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 13/2/04 Little change is expected in the current dry conditions, although it will be somewhat cooler. The snowpack will become well stabilised in all locations and the avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). Falling rock, ice and the collapse of cornice remnants will remain a significant hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very patchy and restricted to locations above 700 metres. ICING: Pretty much non-existent and almost all popular routes incomplete. COMMENT: Some passable snow-ice available in Grade 1 or 2 gullies for those prepared to explore areas away from the beaten track. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------