NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/2/99 Mild conditions with no new snow and only light drizzle have resulted in a wet, soft and generally stable snowpack. Cornices have in the main slumped and are less unstable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/1/99 Mild and wet conditions will persist overnight before the arrival early morning of snow, very strong WNW winds and blizzard conditions. Where new accumulations of windblown snow develop, primarily on E to SE aspects a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche will result. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Depleted from recent thaw conditions. Still reasonable in plateau areas ICING: Had something of a battering recently, should rapidly improve with the return of colder conditions. COMMENT: Unpleasant mountain conditions with blizzards and very strong winds on Thursday. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/2/99 Mild temperatures are continuing to consolidate the snowpack. Areas of moderately bonded wet snow are still present on some steep slopes. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Elsewhere the snowpack is generally stable. Large cornices still present , mainly above N, NE and E aspects. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/2/99 A cold WNW airflow with gale to storm force winds is expected late overnight and through Thursday. Fresh deposits of windslab will form from early on Thursday morning and through the day. Avalanches are likely as the day progresses. Greatest accumulations will be on steep slopes and gullies with N, E and SE aspects above 750m. Where these fresh deposits exist the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Cornices starting to reform. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: General snow cover above 750m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to 750m from early morning on Thursday. COMMENT: A return to cooler conditions with gale to storm force WNW winds on Thursday. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/2/99 Rain above the summits has rendered the snowpack soft and moist at all levels. Remaining large cornices are very unstable. Wet slab lying on N to E corrie headwalls and in summit gullies is moderately bonded. In these areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/2/99 Colder conditions in the early hours will bring snow down to 600m. Areas of windslab will develop on NE to SE slopes and sheltered summit gullies. Any large cornices will remain unstable during the period. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) where pockets of deeper windslab lie in steep summit gullies. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 600m. ICING: Thawing ice above 700m. COMMENT: Colder conditions will bring about a refreeze of existing snowpack. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/2/99 A windy and mild day with no new precipitation has maintained snow in a soft and moist condition at all levels. Cornices remain weak with some debris noted in Lochnagar Corrie. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/2/99 After some overnight light rain Thursday will see a return to wintry conditions with storm force winds, a drop in freezing levels and some snow. In sheltered locations and gullies on N to SE aspects new accumulations will form over a harder base of snow and be moderately to weakly bonded. Here the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) with other aspects scoured and icy. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Poor to 900m and starting to lose areas of snow above that. ICING: Will improve with the drop in the freezing level to around 760m. COMMENT: Expected to be a wild day with high wind and snow showers. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/2/99 With temperatures remaining mild the snowpack has continued to consolidate and is generally well bonded and stable. However wet surface layers present on steep N through to SE slopes above 800m are only moderately well bonded. Remaining cornices above these slopes are still very unstable and are also prone to collapse. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/2/99 Rain will turn to snow during the morning, putting down moderate amounts on a severe storm force WNW wind. As the freezing level drops to 750m the underlying snowpack will freeze and stabilise, but new snowfall will quickly form windslab on top of an icy surface. Sheltered gullies and hollows of a N through to SE aspect above 800m will be most affected. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) with avalanches likely in the above mentioned areas. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover above 750m, although becoming patchy on some aspects. ICING: Thawing hard (+5c at 900m) so not doing it much good. COMMENT: Cornice collapse can trigger avalanches - beware of run out zones! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------