NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 28-12-99 Fine dry conditions with South-West to North-West winds have caused some re-distribution of lying snow on to Easterly aspects. Repeated easy shears of surface layers were found on South-East facing slopes at 1100 metres. Cornices could be triggered with moderate loading. The avalanche hazard is Category 3 (Considerable). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 29-12-99 Overnight snow showers continuing intermittently during the day, will further add to recent accumulations on slopes with Easterly aspects, mainly above 850 metres. Avalanches are likely in these areas, particularly on South-East facing slopes above 1000 metres. Existing weaknesses in surface layers will persist. On other aspects, hard slab layers will still contain pockets of instability. Cornices, where present, may be triggered by moderate loading. The avalanche hazard will be Category 3 (Considerable). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover for the time of year. Snow above 200 metres, main accumulations in corries above 900 metres. Approaches laborious. ICING: Much icing of boulder-fields, with frequent areas of snow-ice above 800 metres. COMMENT: Some Sneachda mixed routes and gullies receiving attention. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 28/12/99 Large areas of soft unconsolidated snow exist in corries and gullies with an aspect from N through E to SE. On scarp slopes and at the tops of gullies of these aspects, soft unstable slab is present. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Soft unstable cornices are also present above these aspects. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 29/12/99 The cold showery WNW airflow is expected to continue overnight and during Wednesday. Areas of unstable snow will remain, greatest accumulations being at the tops of gullies and on scarp slopes with a N through E to SE aspect. Avalanches are likely in these locations. Large areas of soft unconsolidated snow will remain in many corries and gullies. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Cornices will continue to form and be prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good general cover above 300m. ICING: Freezing level remaining low throughout out the period. COMMENT: Deep soft snow in corrie floors making walking challenging. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 28/12/99 Recent snow has accumulated above 300m with deep drifting in sheltered locations.The snowpack is generally soft at all levels but where exposed to winds a firm icy crust is forming. Deep unstable windslab has formed on steep slopes with a N through to SE aspect and in all sheltered gullies. Areas of fresh weakly bonded windslab are forming at the tops of these slopes. In these areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 29/12/99 Cold conditions with light snow showers and strong N.W. winds can be expected overnight and during Wednesday. Unstable windslab will exist above 800m on NE through to SE slopes and in all sheltered gullies. Avalanches are likely where deep accumulations of windslab form on steeper slopes. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Cornices will remain prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 300m. ICING: Ice re-forming above 300m. COMMENT: Areas of unconsolidated snow require care. Extensive cover of soft snow on many ridges and buttresses is giving a very wintry feel to the glen. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 28/12/99 The snowpack is moderately bonded on most aspects at all levels. Some drifting has maintained localised areas of soft slab and unconsolidated snow on E aspects. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). Exposed slopes remain scoured and icy. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 29/12/99 Snow showers with some drifting will continue to leave light accumulations on E aspects. Where these new deposits overlie existing unstable areas on steeper slopes the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Elsewhere the snowpack will be generally well bonded. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover at all levels. ICING: Would improve with a melt-freeze cycle. COMMENT: Plenty of snow for ski touring. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 28/12/99 Continuing cold conditions have maintained instabilities in the snowpack and deep accumulations of very unstable windslab remain on N through E to S aspects above 750m. Sheltered gullies and hollows are most affected. Highly unstable cornices are continuing to form above N through E to S aspects. The hazard of avalanche is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 29/12/99 Light snow on strong NW winds will continue to add very unstable windslab to the deposits already present on N through E to S aspects above 750m. With summit temperatures well below freezing there will be little consolidation of the existing snowpack. The avalanche hazard will remain Considerable (Category 3) with avalanches likely in the above mentioned areas. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Good cover at all levels. ICING: Continuing to build in the cold conditions - but still a lot of unconsolidated snow on the cliffs. COMMENT: Tough going on foot but fantastic ski touring conditions from the road. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------