NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/3/99 Mostly dry with fluctuating temperatures and only a little new snow at highest elevations. This has brought about some consolidation of the existing snowpack. Large cornices exist, particularly over E aspects and some debris from these was noted at 1000m in Cnap Coire na Spreidhe as a result of solar warming around midday. Overcast conditions now prevail and the avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/3/99 Light snow showers overnight and on Thursday with strengthening N to NE winds. This will create the potential for pockets of windslab to develop on steep S to SW aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3) localised in steepest locations of the above aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Reasonable above 800m, becoming sparse in places. ICING: Remains intact although variable in quantity and quality. COMMENT: Staying wintry for Thursday. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/3/99 Colder conditions overnight have consolidated the existing snowpack. Localised areas of moderately bonded snow are present on steep slopes and gullies with N, NE or E aspects. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Large cornices present above these aspects. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/3/99 Colder conditions overnight will further consolidate the existing snowpack. Localised instabilities will still be present on steep slopes and gullies with a N, NE or E aspect. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). Wind scoured slopes will be hard frozen and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: General cover above 700m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to 500m on Thursday. COMMENT: Winds increasing from the North. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/3/99 Wet snow deposits are lying above 500m on most slope aspects. These have generally bonded well on to the old moist snowpack. Some small instabilities exist on the steeper slopes and small wet snow slufs have occurred on corrie headwalls and in steep sheltered gullies. Above 800m where unstable wet snow deposits are lying on steep slopes the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Cornices are soft but slowly becoming more stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/3/99 Northerly winds and colder conditions will start to refreeze the moistened snowpack. Above 550m the snowpack will consolidate in the lower temperatures producing firm and generally stable conditions and the avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow cover above 350m. ICING: Ice on rocks above 500m. COMMENT: Climbing conditions improving as colder and drier weather affects the area. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/3/99 Overnight freeze has left the snowpack crusty and stable in most places. Some very light snow showers have led to small localised deposits of moderately well bonded snow in sheltered hollows and scarps of mainly N to E slopes. These are mostly insignificant and easily avoided. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Although cornices are beginning to firm up they still require caution. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/3/99 It will continue cold with only light deposits of snow and strong N to NW winds. This will lead to light accumulations of snow mainly on E to S facing slopes and other sheltered areas. These deposits are expected to be mostly insignificant but where they are of any quantity a Moderate (Category 2) hazard of avalanche will exist. Elsewhere the snowpack will be generally icy and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good snow cover above 900m, patchy below this. Some fine touring to be had. ICING: Ice improving with freeze thaw cycle. Buttresses remain generally lean. COMMENT: Remaining cold with strong Northerly winds. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS WED 3/3/99 The snowpack is consolidating well on most slopes, but today's mild temperatures combined with solar radiation have kept the surface layers soft and moist. Steep N through E to S facing slopes above 800m, especially scarp slopes beneath cornices, are still only weakly bonded, and in these localised areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Cornices are soft and unstable, with debris from avalanche triggered by cornice collapse noted in Coire a' Chriochairein. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK THU 4/3/99 Light snow on N winds which will increase to severe gale force tomorrow (Thursday) will build localised areas of windslab on SE through to W slopes above 750m. Sheltered gullies and hollows will be most affected and where deposits are significant the avalanche hazard will Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere colder conditions, with the freezing level dropping to 550m, will continue to stabilise the existing snowpack. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thawing today at lower levels, but good cover remaining on most slopes. ICING: Still smothered by Sunday's big dump of snow. Should improve as temperatures drop. COMMENT: Glorious blue skies and baking hot sunshine on Meagaidh today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------