LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 9/2/99 Strengthening Northerly winds during Tuesday have formed localised areas of unstable soft windslab. These deposits are generally restricted to scarp slopes with E, SE and S aspects above 800m. In these localised areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Isolated areas of harder windslab also exist on these aspects at lower altitudes. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 10/2/99 Moderate NW winds overnight will continue to build areas of unstable soft windslab. These deposits will be generally restricted to scarp slopes with E, SE and S aspects above 800m. Other sheltered locations will also be affected. Where this soft slab exists in significant quantities, the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Soft unstable cornices will continue to form. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow exists above 600m. Main accumulations above 700m. ICING: Remaining cold at all levels. COMMENT: Wind scoured slopes hard and icy. Ice axe and crampons essential for those venturing onto the hills. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 9/2/99 Light snowfall and drifting of existing snowpack has caused accumulations of relatively unstable windslab to form on N through E to SW aspects, with the main loading in sheltered gullies and hollows of a E to SW aspect above 800m. There is a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche in these areas. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 10/2/99 Moderate amounts of snowfall overnight on a fresh NW wind will further load affected slopes of a N through E to S aspect above 800m. Light snow and drifting will continue through out the day. Sheltered hollows and scarp slopes beneath cornices will be worst affected. The avalanche hazard will remain Considerable (Category 3) with avalanches likely in the above mentioned aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow at all levels, reasonable cover above 800m. Hard neve on windscoured slopes. ICING: Lots of it, certain routes in good condition improving in other areas. COMMENT: Drifted snow on the Coire Ardair path made going tough today! Fresh cornices forming. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 9/2/99 Snow showers and N winds have continued the build up of windslab mainly in sheltered locations and gullies above 900m on E to SW aspects. Some sheltered areas of N aspects continue to hold unstable snow as well. Any recent deposits are very unstable with the avalanche hazard High (Category 4). Exposed slopes are scoured and icy. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 10/2/99 Continuing cold with snow showers and NW winds will lead to further build up of unstable snow in sheltered locations and gullies above 900m on some NE aspects but mainly on E to SW aspects where cornices will also be unstable. The avalanche hazard will remain High (Category 4) for these locations with any exposed slope being scoured and icy. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Light snow to valley level, improving although still patchy above 900m. ICING: Continuing to build in colder temps. COMMENT: Climbing looking very optimistic at the moment with many gullies scoured. Ski touring still reasonable (but icy!) above 900m. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 9/2/99 The snowpack is generally firm and stable. Exposed slopes with a N aspect are wind scoured and very icy. Pockets of windslab containing hail exist on sheltered NE to S facing slopes above 750m. Windslab overlying snow ice on steep slopes and in summit gullies is weakly bonded. In these localised areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 10/2/99 The cold conditions will persist with a dusting of fresh snow at all levels. The snowpack will not significantly alter with pockets of windslab remaining weakly bonded to steep sheltered slopes facing NE to S and in summit gullies. In these localised areas the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere, wind scoured and hard snow ice prevail. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 650m. ICING: Ice forming on rocks above 300m. COMMENT: Crampons and axe essential; snowpack generally "bone" hard especially on N slopes, steep descents into corries require caution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 9/2/99 Stability is good on all N aspects where all slopes are hard and icy. Significant quantities of fresh windslab again lie on steep ESE to S aspects above 1050m and many of these places are overhung by large, growing cornices. Rutschblock stability tests on these scarp slopes showed up multiple very easy shears on near-surface and deeper new snow layers. Stability is poor in these areas and the avalanche hazard is Considerable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 10/2/99 Little change is expected in weather and avalanche conditions right through the period. Further snow showers on NW winds will create additional fresh poorly bonded windslab on steep ESE to S slopes and gullies above 1050m. Avalanches are likely in these locations, especially those exposed to cornice collapse potential. Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche. All N aspects will remain hard and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow at all levels on Tuesday. Deep, soft drifts and wind-scoured `boilerplate' predominate on plateaux areas. ICING: Slow improvement with sustained cold weather, but overall build up still comparatively modest. Excellent neve in all N-facing gullies. COMMENT: Very cold with poor visibility above 900m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------