NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 4/3/04 There were very light snow showers above 900 metres and moderate South-Westerly winds. The snowpack where sampled at 1200 metres in the top of a North facing couloir showed fair stability. There was a hard shear above a graupel layer. The instability due to buried facets appears to be more widespread on crag aprons and approach slopes. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 5/3/04 Light snow showers are forecast with temperatures at the summit staying a couple of degrees below freezing. Slab instability will persist mainly on steep Southerly aspects above 950 metres but also pockets on crag aprons that have a general aspects of North with minor terrain variations facing East and West. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Still good cover on plateau. ICING: Turf is hard and sometimes brittle; ice on N aspects still quite thin. COMMENT: Changes in terrain loading may need watching. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 4/3/04 Areas of soft unstable windslab are present on slopes sheltered from the prevailing SSW winds. Greatest accumulations are on sheltered North, North-East and East facing slopes and gullies above 1100m. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 5/3/04 Colder temperatures and snow showers are expected overnight and during Friday. Localised areas of soft unstable snow will be present. Greatest accumulations will be on sheltered North, North-East and East facing slopes and gullies above 1100m. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Some fresh snow above 950m today (Thursday) ICING: Freezing level hovering around 1200m today (Thursday) COMMENT: Expected to get colder again on Friday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 4/3/04 There are light accumulations of fresh snow above 930m. The snowpack stability is still generally good. Some isolated accumulations of weakly bonded windslab exist on steep slopes and in gullies with a Northerly aspect mainly above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard in these locations is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 5/3/04 Snow showers and moderate South-Westerly winds will affect the area. The old moist snowpack will consolidate as freezing level drops to around 650m. New accumulations of windslab will form in sheltered North-Easterly locations. The greatest hazard will be on steeper slopes and especially around the tops of gullies where windslab has formed on North to North-East aspects above 850 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Mainly in sheltered corries and gullies above 900 metres. Some wet ice is still present above 800m. ICING: Thawing ice on rocks and paths above 600 metres. COMMENT: Conditions should start to improve as the freezing drops and with the arrival of some new snow. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 4/3/04 There has been a trace of new snow above 1000 metres but this has not affected the stability of the snowpack. The majority of the snow is generally well bonded. In sheltered locations on SE to SW aspects above 900 metres some deeper deposits remain moderately bonded. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 5/3/04 The freezing level will drop to around 900 metres and there will be some very light snow showers. The re-frozen patchy snow will be generally well bonded on all aspects. The largest areas are on SE to SW aspects. Below 900 metres the snow will continue to thaw. The avalanche hazard will be Low (Category 1). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: The Southern Cairngorms is holding more than the White Mounth. ICING: Current freeze-thaw cycle may improve conditions above 900 metres. COMMENT: Remaining wintry above 900 metres. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 4/3/04 It was a mainly dry day with a few patchy light rain showers in the morning. Freeze-thaw cycle has continued to improve general snowpack stability on most aspects. Some softer moderately bonded windslab still exists on steep East to South-East aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). A residual hazard from falling ice and cornices is maintained in mild daytime temperatures. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 5/3/04 Occasional snow showers on light South-West winds will form isolated and shallow deposits of fresh slab on North to East aspects above 900 metres. The snowpack elsewhere will continue to show improved stability with slightly colder daytime temperatures. The avalanche hazard will remain Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: In retreat with high Coires holding on to the most. ICING: Generally poor and thawing during the day. COMMENT: Freezing levels hovering around 900 metres. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------