CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 27/2/99 Heavy snowfall on strong to gale force SW winds has continued to load NW through E to S facing slopes above 750m with deep accumulations of highly unstable soft windslab. Sheltered gullies and hollows are particularly affected. The avalanche hazard is High (Category 4). Large, unstable cornices are building above steep NW through to S aspects. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 28/2/99 Snow showers will be light overnight, followed by more persistent moderate snowfall tomorrow (Sunday) morning, with winds reaching severe gale force SW for a time before easing later. Fresh and drifting snow will continue to load NW through E to S aspects above 650m with highly unstable windslab. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. Cornices will continue to build and remain very unstable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover at all levels, deep on lee slopes. ICING: Little improvement. Fresh snow covering some routes. Inner Coire routes still there but a wee bit thin. COMMENT: Enormous cornices have built again, especially large above Bellevue Buttress and the Inner Coire. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 27/2/99 Strong SW winds with accompanying snow overnight and during Saturday have formed areas of unstable snow. Weakly bonded hard and soft slab is present in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations are on steep slopes and gullies with N, NE and E aspects above 800m. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere the snowpack is generally well frozen and stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 28/2/99 Snow showers and a strong SW airflow will continue to form areas of weakly bonded windslab overnight and during Sunday. Greatest accumulations will be on N, NE and E aspects above 800m. The tops of steep gullies and headwalls will be particularly effected. Avalanches will occur in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Wind blown slopes will be hard frozen and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover above 600m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to 300 during Sunday. COMMENT: Frequent snow showers. Winds easing during Sunday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 27/2/99 Showers overnight turning to more sustained hail and snowfall during the day have built up deposits of windslab on N through to E slopes. Above 600m areas of very unstable deep soft slab are present in gullies and corrie headwalls. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Many sheltered gullies are continuously sluffing spindrift. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 28/2/99 Heavy snow showers will continue depositing hail and soft slab onto slopes facing N through to E above 300m. In steep gullies and corrie headwalls above 600m deep soft slab and hail will be highly unstable. In these locations the avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 300m. ICING: Ice forming above 300m. COMMENT: Ridges and buttresses the safer option, care required in blustery conditions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 27/2/99 More frequent snow showers on SW to WSW winds have created accumulations of new windslab on steep NE to E aspects above 1000m. The distribution of this slab is uneven as local winds have scoured some of these locations down to hard snow/ice, whilst others have fresh windslab. Snow stability is marginal to poor wherever new slab is deepest and extensive, giving a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche in these places. All windswept areas are hard and stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 28/2/99 Sunday morning will bring a period of more sustained snowfall carried on very strong SW winds. Further new windslab development can be expected on steep, very sheltered N to ENE aspects, giving a Considerable (Category 3) hazard of avalanche where new slab build up is deepest. Some local scouring is possible in these windy conditions. Stability will be good on all wind-exposed slopes and gullies. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh drifting in very sheltered areas only. Hard and icy elsewhere. ICING: Popular ice routes are fine (and busy) but ice on mixed and buttress routes in N.Corries is thin. COMMENT: Wintry for a time on Sunday; better later. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 27/2/99 Snow showers and drifting snow are leaving new localised unstable deposits over hard snow ice in sheltered locations on N to E aspects. Poorest stability is to be found on steeper slopes and scarp slopes from where two climbers were avalanched in Black Spout. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 28/2/99 Further unstable deposits will continue to develop in sheltered locations on N to E aspects. On steeper slopes and scarp slopes the snowpack will be weakly bonded and avalanches will occur. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) with exposed areas remaining stable. Cornices will be soft and unstable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Generally remains patchy, mainly on plateau areas and N to E corries. ICING: Good, quite a few routes in Lochnagar having reasonable ice. COMMENT: Around 50 climbers in Lochnagar doing lots of routes. A good mix of snow, rock and ice. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------