NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 29/2/04 It was a day of clear skies, cool temperatures and very light winds. On North aspects above 1000 metres the slopes have been scoured and stability is good. Lower down on North aspect there are still deep foot penetrations in unconsolidated snow. On South aspects above 900 metres, the storm snow has settled slowly in the cool temperatures and the shears due to a layer of facets on crust are still evident. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 1/3/04 A dry day is forecast with light winds and cool temperatures maintained all day on North aspects. On Southerly aspects particularly steep slopes the deeper slab instability will persist. Some more isolated pockets of this instability will exist on other aspects above 900 metres. Sun warming will produce some surface weakness. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Excellent ski touring. ICING: Numerous parties; hooking and turfing but not a whole lot of ice. COMMENT: Careful terrain selection on all aspects will avoid the avalanche hazard. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 29/2/04 Dry cold conditions have seen little change to the existing snowpack. Localised areas of shallow windslab are present. Accumulations are mainly restricted to the tops of South East, South and South West aspects and are generally avoidable. Shallow surface instabilities are present on steep slopes exposed to solar radiation. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 1/3/04 Little change is expected overnight and during Monday. Localised areas of shallow windslab will remain at the tops of South East, South and South West aspects. Shallow surface instabilities will develop on any steep slopes exposed to sun. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best cover remaining in high North and East facing corries. ICING: Remaining cold, ice will start to thaw at lower levels in the sun. COMMENT: The old snowpack will remain well frozen. Ice axe and crampons essential. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 29/2/04 Cold settled conditions have maintained very good stability of the general snowpack with a widespread frozen surface. Isolated areas of weakly bonded windslab exist in the most sheltered of areas mainly above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 1/3/04 It will remain cold overnight with freezing levels rising to 700 metres during the course of Monday. With no precipitation and only light winds forecast little change to the overall condition of the snowpack is expected. Much of the old snow will remain firm and will be very stable. Pockets of windslab will exist in sheltered gullies above 1000 metres. Slopes exposed to the sun will soften giving some surface instabilities and cornices will also become suspect as temperatures rise. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Mainly in sheltered corries and gullies above 850 metres. Widespread snow-ice. ICING: Ice on rocks and paths above 400 metres. COMMENT: Old snowpack hard and icy, crampons and ice axe essential. Some very good climbing conditions mainly restricted to higher easier routes. Fantastic weather on Sunday with a reasonable outlook for next few days. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 29/2/04 It has been a dry and sunny day. Moderately to weakly bonded windslab exists in sheltered locations on SE to SW aspects above 700 metres. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Other aspects have limited snow and are generally stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 1/3/04 Another sunny day with light winds is forecast. Above 700 metres on SE to SW aspects localised deeper deposits will be found. Consolidation will continue to take place but in steeper locations moderately to weakly bonded layers will persist. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Mostly wind scoured slopes with deeper drifts on SE to SW aspects. ICING: Where moisture exists there is ice, but buttresses remain quite dry and the turf is becoming brittle. COMMENT: Many tracks provide just enough to ski. Some limited good quality touring available on the hills. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 29/2/04 Surface stability is slowly improving due to solar warming in recent accumulations of windslab on East to South aspects above 850 metres. However weak sub-surface layers are still evident in deeper deposits confined to steep scarp slopes, gullies and hollows of the above mentioned aspect and field tests produced an easy shear. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 1/3/04 A dry day with light West winds will produce little change to present conditions. Surface stability will continue slowly to improve in the thaw-freeze cycle. Sub-surface weak layers will exist in deeper deposits of windslab confined to steep scarp slopes, gullies and hollows of an East to South aspect above 850 metres. The avalanche hazard will remain Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Drifted snow of varying depths at all levels. ICING: Thaw-freeze cycles may aid development. COMMENT: Freshly formed cornice fringes will be suspect in warmer temperatures. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------