NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 22/1/98 Steady thaw continuing overnight and on Thursday with no new precipitation. The snowpack is considerably depleted and generally stable. Some slumped cornices persist at the head of steep gully tops. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2) in these locations where slopes are exposed to potential heavy loading. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 23/1/98 A return to colder conditions overnight along with some light snow showers. Old accumulations will become re-frozen and stable. The potential for fresh windblown deposits exists toward the end of the period, primarily on E through to SE aspects. In steepest sheltered locations, where significant build up develops, there will be a localised Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Sparse/patchy cover, some deeper drifts persist in sheltered hollows. ICING: Thaw at present, set to improve over next 24 hrs. COMMENT: Return to colder conditions becoming hard and icy underfoot in exposed locations. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 22/1/98 Continuing thaw conditions to above the summits have led to a gradual stabilisation of the snowpack, although some wet snow instabilities still remain on steep slopes with a NW, N and NE aspect. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Cornice collapse reported above NE aspects of Aonach Mor. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 23/1/98 A return to colder conditions by first light on Friday will freeze the existing snowpack. Light amounts of fresh snow accompanied by NE winds are expected. This will form as fresh windslab at the tops of SW and W facing slopes and gullies. This fresh snow is expected to be shallow and restricted to surface deposits. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere the snowpack will be stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy snow cover above 800m. ICING: Freezing at all levels on Friday afternoon. COMMENT: Very few climbing routes in condition. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 22/1/98 The mild Southerly airstream and rain have saturated the snowpack at all levels. Areas of unstable wet snow still exist on slopes facing NW to NE above 800m. These deposits are mainly restricted to sheltered hollows and gullies which contain deep unstable snow where the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 23/1/98 Thaw conditions will continue to affect the area during Thursday night with much colder conditions arriving on Friday. The remaining snowpack will start to refreeze becoming firmer above 600m on slopes of all aspects. New snow is expected above 600m with the greatest accumulations to be found on SW sheltered aspects . The avalanche hazard will be Moderate ( Category 2 ). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 700m. ICING: Thawing ice on rocks above 800m. COMMENT: Conditions should improve with temperatures falling and new snow forecasted. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 22/1/98 Thaw conditions saturating the snowpack led to a period of instability in the morning. The snowpack is now generally well bonded on most slopes with some areas only moderately well bonded, especially on steep NW to NE facing slopes and gully areas. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Remaining cornices are unstable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 23/1/98 A return to colder conditions will begin to freeze the snowpack leaving it stable. Moderate snow showers with strong NE winds expected later on Friday afternoon will lead to windslab build up on S to W facing slopes and sheltered gully areas. Deposits overlying snow ice will only be moderately well bonded. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thawing at all levels. Most deposits are on N facing slopes above 650m. ICING: Lean at present but improving with a freeze. COMMENT: Rain turning to snow later on Friday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS THU 22/1/98 The recent thaw has depleted the snowpack, and although the worst period of instability has passed deep accumulations of moderately bonded wet slab remain. The tops of deep gullies and hollows of a N through to SE aspect above 700m are worst affected. There is a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche in these localised areas. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK FRI 23/1/98 Rain turning to snow as the wind changes to the NE will deposit accumulations of windslab on to sheltered slopes and gullies of a S to W aspect above 800m. Slopes of other aspects and those below 800m will stabilise in the colder conditions. There will be a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche in the above mentioned, localised areas. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy above 700m. ICING: Hopefully clinging on through this thaw but impossible to tell for sure due to poor visibility. COMMENT: At least it`s not as wet as this time last year and much snowier. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------