NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 23/12/04 Isolated snow accumulations remain above 950 metres on North to East aspects in the mountains. Colder temperatures have helped to stabilise the lying snow during the day. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 24/12/04 North-Westerly winds with occasional and very light snow is expected in the mountains tonight and tomorrow. Snow will lie above 200 metres altitude lowering to 100 metres during the daylight hours. New snow accumulations will build on North-East to East aspects above 100 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2) CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Cold hard ground above 900m with snow patches. ICING: Rock is dry. Old snow getting hard. COMMENT: Forecasted snow will help dress the bare winter mountains. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 23/12/04 The thaw has continued, with rain at all levels. During Thursday afternoon, the temperature has started to drop again and a light dusting of snow is present above 1000m. Snowpack stability is generally good. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 24/12/04 Cold conditions and snow showers will become established overnight and continue during Friday. The existing snowpack will re-freeze and become stable. Localised accumulations of fresh snow will be restricted to the tops of North-East and East facing gullies above 1000m. There this new snow exists in significant quantities and overlies old snow, the avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy cover of old wet snow mainly above 1000m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to around 300m. COMMENT: All old snow patches will become hard frozen. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 23/12/04 Heavy thaw conditions accompanied by gale force winds have almost stripped all the snowpack. Some isolated wet snow areas exist mainly in sheltered gullies above 900m. Where these wet snow accumulations lie on steeper slopes stability is moderate. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 24/12/04 Colder conditions and light snow showers overnight and during Friday with North Westerly becoming Westerly winds will bring new accumulations of snow to the area. These are not expected to be significant but some accumulations of windslab will start to form on NE to SE aspects and in sheltered locations above 800m. Where any deeper accumulations of snow are present above 850m the snowpack stability will be suspect mainly on steeper slopes and in gullies. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 850m. ICING: Any remaining ice below 1100m is thawing. COMMENT: A wet soggy snowpack is present in only the higher gullies with some more acceptable snow just on the summit tops. Maybe some improvements for Friday. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 23/12/04 Very little snow remains on open slopes with patchy cover to be found in sheltered locations on mainly N to E aspects above 950 metres. These localised deposits are generally well bonded. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 24/12/04 Occasional or light snow showers will tend to form a superficial general cover. In limited locations sufficient depth may accumulate over old snow for unstable layers to be present. Areas most likely to be affected are steeper sheltered locations on NE to SE aspects where a snow-ice base is present. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Limited snow exists mainly in high N to E facing corries. ICING: Only remnants left. COMMENT: Lochnagar buttresses are black with most gullies thin or incomplete. Approach slopes are bare. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 23/12/04 Very heavy overnight rain abated to give a relatively dry day with somewhat cooler temperatures. The mountains look distinctly mottled but significant large patches of snow are still present on steep North to South-East aspects above 850 metres. Debris from a full depth avalanche was noted below the steep rocky slabs on the South-East facing back wall of Coire nan Gall. The onset of drier, cooler conditions have brought some consolidation to the snowpack in most locations. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 24/12/04 Colder conditions with some light snow showers on West to North West winds will bring about some fresh snow accumulations on North-East to South-East slopes and gullies. Some windslab development is expected in these locations, in particular above 950 metres. The remainder of the older snowpack will re-freeze and become stable, but with new slab build up the avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Generally poor, but more than most other forecast areas? ICING: Very poor indeed on Thursday. Free water present on most ice routes with some akin to waterfalls. COMMENT: The bottom end of Easy Gully had a significant burn running in it today (Thurs). Rockfall heard in Coire Ardair. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------