CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7/1/00 Last night the freezing level rose to well above the summits with any precipitation falling as rain rather than snow. This has left the snowpack saturated and melting. Moderately well bonded hard, wet slab is still evident in gullies and hollows of a N through E to SE aspect above 800 metres. Moderate (Category 2) avalanche hazard. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8/1/00 With a return to colder conditions, there will be a significant consolidation of the underlying snowpack. However deep accumulations of fresh, unstable windslab will form on top of existing snow, in sheltered gullies and hollows of a N through E to SE aspect above 800 metres. Fresh cornices will begin to re- form above the same aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thawing. Gullies and hollows hold snow down to 700 metres. Main cover above 800 metres. ICING: With a temperature of +5 C at 800 metres it is going to be falling down. COMMENT: Horrible mountain conditions. At least the kayakers will be happy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7/1/00 Heavy rain has reduced and saturated the snowpack at all levels. Potentially unstable wet slab exists in summit gullies and on N through to E facing corrie headwalls above 700 metres. In these areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8/1/00 Falling temperatures overnight will begin to stabilise the snowpack. Squally showers will deposit windslab in sheltered areas on N through to SE facing slopes above 450 metres. Deeper windslab lying on steep corrie headwalls and in summit gullies will be weakly bonded. In these locations the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 650 metres. ICING: Thawing ice above 900 metres. COMMENT: The current conditions should improve! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7/1/00 Heavy rain has reduced and saturated the snowpack at all levels. Potentially unstable wet slab exists in summit gullies and on N through to E facing corrie headwalls above 700 metres. In these areas the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8/1/00 Falling temperatures overnight will begin to stabilise the snowpack. Squally showers will deposit windslab in sheltered areas on N through to SE facing slopes above 450 metres. Deeper windslab lying on steep corrie headwalls and in summit gullies will be weakly bonded. In these locations the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Wet snow above 650 metres. ICING: Thawing ice above 900 metres. COMMENT: The current conditions should improve! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7/1/00 Heavy rain has produced a moist snowpack at all levels. The snowpack is slowly consolidating. Wet snow instabilities are present on steep slope inclinations. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8/1/00 Snow showers and Westerly winds overnight and during Saturday will form fresh areas of unstable windslab in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations will on scarp slopes and at the tops of gullies with a NE, E and SE aspect. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main accumulations in N and E facing corries above 800m. ICING: Wet snow at all levels. COMMENT: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7/1/00 Warmer temperatures and rain are softening the snow at all levels. The worst of the unstable period was overnight with avalanche debris noted under the Parallel Gullies area on Lochnagar. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8/1/00 A return to wintry conditions will leave new deposits in sheltered locations on NE through to SE aspects. Where new accumulations overlie harder snow ice stability will be poor, particularly on steeper slopes where the avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Exposed slopes will remain stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Patchy, with most amounts on N to E aspects. Very icy on plateau areas. ICING: Lots around above 900m of various quality. COMMENT: There will be blizzards at times during the day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS FRI 7-1-00 There has been another melt-freeze cycle that saw the temperature rise 4 degrees to +3 in one hour early this morning. A snow profile at 1000 metres showed a rain soaked crust at surface with moist snow below to the basal crust that has turned to an ice mass in some locations. Strong Westerly winds continue. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SAT 8-1-00 The older crust will need significant load in moderate terrain to avalanche. However, new snow will accumulate on Easterly aspects and the snowpack will be weakly bonded on many steep slopes. Avalanches are likely in steep, unsupported convex terrain in isolated locations above 850 metres and more widespread above 1100 metres due to these new snow instabilities. This will contribute to a Considerable (Category 3) avalanche hazard. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: In the lee the surface is soft with foot penetration to 20 centimetres. On exposed aspects the surface is crust, sometimes with no foot penetration. ICING: More free water on ice, ready for the next freeze. COMMENT: Careful route choice advisable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------