NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24-12-99 Continued snow showers and drifting on North and East aspects have created windslabs from 10 to 30 cm thick at 950 metres. Easy shears were observed on steep (37?) slopes. Most slopes of other aspects and elevation above 850 metres are wind scoured and stable. The avalanche hazard is Category 4 (High). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25-12-99 Strong North-Westerly winds will create a slab condition on slope aspects from North through East to South, specially on scarp slopes and gully tops above 850 metres. These slabs will be very unstable on 40-50? slopes. The forecast fluctuating freezing levels will also contribute to unstable cornices. The avalanche hazard will be Category 4 (High) on the selected terrain mentioned. Avalanches will occur in these areas. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow accumulation above 650 metres. Strong winds maintain loading on Northerly aspects. ICING: Considerable icing and riming on wind-scoured slopes and boulder fields. COMMENT: Breakable crust with foot penetration from 5-20 centimetre on less wind exposed aspects. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Warmer conditions overnight have been replaced by slightly cooler temperatures during Friday. Precipitation has been heavy throughout the period with snow falling to 750m during the day. Areas of unstable windslab are present on many N, NE and E aspects above 950m. On steeper aspects below this altitude, areas of unstable wet snow are present. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 A thaw at all levels with heavy rain is expected overnight. Fresh snow and strong NW winds are expected during Saturday. Fresh areas of unstable windslab will form, mainly on S, SE and E aspects. Greatest accumulations will be in gullies and on scarp slopes. Avalanches are likely in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good general cover above 700m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to 600m during Saturday. COMMENT: Strong NW winds expected on Saturday. Have a good Xmas! GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 The snowpack is soft and moist at all levels. N to E facing corrie headwalls and sheltered summit gullies contain areas of potentially unstable wet slab. Frequent wet sluffs observed in these areas. Avalanche debris noted in Coire nan Lochan and Coire Gabhail. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 Rain at all levels overnight will make the snowpack saturated and very unstable. Colder conditions during Saturday will begin to stabilise the snowpack. Windslab will be deposited above 700m on sheltered ground facing N through to SE. Where unstable snow exists in steep summit gullies the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 700m. ICING: Thawing ice above 700. COMMENT: Very blustery conditions and getting colder on Christmas Day. MERRY CHRISTMAS! SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Heavy drifting on S winds have led to further accumulations of unstable snow in gullies and sheltered locations on NW through to E aspects above 850m. In these locations stability was poor with avalanche activity noted. The avalanche hazard was High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 After overnight thaw conditions, snow showers on gale force NW winds will lead to new deposits above 800m. Where deposits form over harder snow ice on E through to SW aspects on steeper slopes of sheltered locations avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere exposed slopes will be scoured. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow to around 800m, with best cover in N to E facing corries. ICING: Any remaining ice is of poor quality. COMMENT: High winds and snow showers will lead to a poor day on the hill; mince pies are much better. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Overnight warm temperatures and rain at lower levels have depleted the snowpack below 850m. However above 850m moderate snowfall on a strong SW wind continues to form unstable windslab on NW through to NE aspects above 850m. This windslab affects open slopes as well as sheltered gullies and hollows. Cornices continue to build through out this period. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 Overnight the freezing level will rise to 1500m with the hazard of wet slides on all aspects, but particularly on NW to NE aspects. As the day progresses the freezing level will drop to 700 metres and heavy snowfall on a hurricane force WNW wind will quickly deposit fresh windslab on N through E to SE aspects above 800m. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) with avalanches occurring on above-mentioned aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main cover above 800m. Difficult going underfoot. ICING: Thaw/freeze process will continue to improve build up. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Re-send due to formatting problem. NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24-12-99 Continued snow showers and drifting on North and East aspects have created windslabs from 10 to 30 cm thick at 950 metres. Easy shears were observed on steep (37 degree) slopes. Most slopes of other aspects and elevation above 850 metres are wind scoured and stable. The avalanche hazard is Category 4 (High). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25-12-99 Strong North-Westerly winds will create a slab condition on slope aspects from North through East to South, specially on scarp slopes and gully tops above 850 metres. These slabs will be very unstable on 40-50 degree slopes. The forecast fluctuating freezing levels will also contribute to unstable cornices. The avalanche hazard will be Category 4 (High) on the selected terrain mentioned. Avalanches will occur in these areas. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow accumulation above 650 metres. Strong winds maintain loading on Northerly aspects. ICING: Considerable icing and riming on wind-scoured slopes and boulder fields. COMMENT: Breakable crust with foot penetration from 5-20 centimetre on less wind exposed aspects. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Warmer conditions overnight have been replaced by slightly cooler temperatures during Friday. Precipitation has been heavy throughout the period with snow falling to 750m during the day. Areas of unstable windslab are present on many N, NE and E aspects above 950m. On steeper aspects below this altitude, areas of unstable wet snow are present. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 A thaw at all levels with heavy rain is expected overnight. Fresh snow and strong NW winds are expected during Saturday. Fresh areas of unstable windslab will form, mainly on S, SE and E aspects. Greatest accumulations will be in gullies and on scarp slopes. Avalanches are likely in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good general cover above 700m. ICING: Freezing level lowering to 600m during Saturday. COMMENT: Strong NW winds expected on Saturday. Have a good Xmas! GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 The snowpack is soft and moist at all levels. N to E facing corrie headwalls and sheltered summit gullies contain areas of potentially unstable wet slab. Frequent wet sluffs observed in these areas. Avalanche debris noted in Coire nan Lochan and Coire Gabhail. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 Rain at all levels overnight will make the snowpack saturated and very unstable. Colder conditions during Saturday will begin to stabilise the snowpack. Windslab will be deposited above 700m on sheltered ground facing N through to SE. Where unstable snow exists in steep summit gullies the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 700m. ICING: Thawing ice above 700. COMMENT: Very blustery conditions and getting colder on Christmas Day. MERRY CHRISTMAS! SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Heavy drifting on S winds have led to further accumulations of unstable snow in gullies and sheltered locations on NW through to E aspects above 850m. In these locations stability was poor with avalanche activity noted. The avalanche hazard was High (Category 4). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 After overnight thaw conditions, snow showers on gale force NW winds will lead to new deposits above 800m. Where deposits form over harder snow ice on E through to SW aspects on steeper slopes of sheltered locations avalanches are likely. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere exposed slopes will be scoured. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow to around 800m, with best cover in N to E facing corries. ICING: Any remaining ice is of poor quality. COMMENT: High winds and snow showers will lead to a poor day on the hill; mince pies are much better. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 24/12/99 Overnight warm temperatures and rain at lower levels have depleted the snowpack below 850m. However above 850m moderate snowfall on a strong SW wind continues to form unstable windslab on NW through to NE aspects above 850m. This windslab affects open slopes as well as sheltered gullies and hollows. Cornices continue to build through out this period. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 25/12/99 Overnight the freezing level will rise to 1500m with the hazard of wet slides on all aspects, but particularly on NW to NE aspects. As the day progresses the freezing level will drop to 700 metres and heavy snowfall on a hurricane force WNW wind will quickly deposit fresh windslab on N through E to SE aspects above 800m. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) with avalanches occurring on above-mentioned aspects. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main cover above 800m. Difficult going underfoot. ICING: Thaw/freeze process will continue to improve build up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------