GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9/1/00 Colder conditions have given the old snowpack a firm icy crust. Heavy snow showers have deposited large areas of soft slab on N to E facing slopes and corrie headwalls above 500 metres. In sheltered gullies deep unconsolidated soft slab exists this is lying on an icy surface and very unstable. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10/1/00 Sleet during Sunday night turning to rain on Monday will give general thaw condtions. The snowpack will become weakly bonded especially where soft slab is over lying an icy surface layer. N to E facing corrie headwalls and particularly summit gullies that have accumulated deep soft slab will become very unstable and avalanches are likely in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 300 metres. ICING: Ice forming above 400 metres. COMMENT: Buttresses the safer option. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9/1/00 Colder conditions have given the old snowpack a firm icy crust. Heavy snow showers have deposited large areas of soft slab on N to E facing slopes and corrie headwalls above 500 metres. In sheltered gullies deep unconsolidated soft slab exists this is lying on an icy surface and very unstable. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10/1/00 Sleet during Sunday night turning to rain on Monday will give general thaw condtions. The snowpack will become weakly bonded especially where soft slab is over lying an icy surface layer. N to E facing corrie headwalls and particularly summit gullies that have accumulated deep soft slab will become very unstable and avalanches are likely in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow above 300 metres. ICING: Ice forming above 400 metres. COMMENT: Buttresses the safer option. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9/1/00 Snow showers and Westerly winds have produced large areas of unconsolidated snow on all Easterly aspects. Areas of soft unstable slab are present, mainly at the tops of NE, E and SE aspects. Localised areas of hard unstable slab are also present in these locations. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Avalanche activity noted on E aspects of Aonach Mor: Soft slab releases on scarp slopes and cornice collapse. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10/1/00 Warmer temperatures with snow above 1000m expected on Monday. Unstable snow will be present on all N and E aspects. Above 1100 metres, unstable windslab will continue to form in sheltered locations, mainly on NW through N to E facing slopes and gullies. Below 1100 metres, wet snow instabilities will exist within the snowpack, especially on steeper slope inclinations. Avalanches are likely in the above mentioned locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow cover above 450m on Sunday. ICING: Widespread icing on all wind scoured snow slopes. COMMENT: Conditions deteriorating on Monday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9/1/00 Overnight snowfall and strong SW winds have continued to build deep, highly unstable windslab deposits on N through E to SE aspects above 750 metres. With temperatures remaining cold the thick layer of graupel (hail) persists within the snowpack on the above mentioned aspects, forming a very unstable layer. Avalanche debris was observed in Coire Ardair and Coire a'Chriochairein. High (Category 4) avalanche hazard. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10/1/00 Moderate snowfall tomorrow (Monday) will continue to accumulate unstable windslab on NW through E to SE aspects above 750 metres. Rising temperatures will lead to a period of high instability before conditions start to consolidate. Large unstable cornices will remain above NW through E to SE aspects. The avalanche hazard will remain High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow at all levels, excellent ski touring conditions. ICING: Most routes have enough ice - but unfortunately it's under lots of snow! COMMENT: All climbing parties turned back today due to avalanche conditions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9-1-00 Cooling with temperatures of -4 degrees at 1300 metres, light winds and light snow overnight contributed to a net gain in snowpack strength. Ski testing on some East aspect slopes produced no results. The snowpack appears stable although the easy shears on the old crust are still evident. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10-1-00 Wintry showers and freezing level at 800 metres will not appreciably change the avalanche conditions. The deeper crust interface does not have critical load yet. New soft slab may be formed from re-distribution of snow, new cornices will form on Northerly aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2) CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: In avalanche terrain there is up to 10 centimetres of new snow on East and North aspects. ICING: Solid re-freeze in the boulder fields. COMMENT: Excellent climbing conditions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 9/1/00 Windslab exists in quantity in sheltered locations on NE to SE aspects above 900 metres. Observers noted avalanche debris on a number of slopes and gullies on these aspects as well as the existence of graupel within the snowpack. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Other aspects are well bonded. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 10/1/00 There will be some redistribution of unstable snow into sheltered locations on NW to NE aspects above 900 metres and windslab will continue to exist on E locations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). As the freezing level rises to summit level existing cornices will be prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best on NE to SE aspects but reasonable cover on most aspects. ICING: Some around, a mix of quality, best above 900m. COMMENT: Ski touring is very good at the moment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------