CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Following snowfall on a westerly wind, a thaw has ensued with rain at all levels. These conditions have left localised accumulations of unstable, wet windslab in sheltered gullies and hollows of a North through East to South-East aspect above 800 metres. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) in these localised areas. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 Rain will turn to snow overnight on a strong westerly wind. This will add further to the localised accumulations of unstable windslab found in sheltered gullies and hollows of a North through East to South-East aspect above 800 metres. Fresh cornices will continue to build above the same aspects during the period. The avalanche hazard will remain Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Main cover above 800 metres. Soggy snow lies on firm snow-ice underneath, but still good for getting about. ICING: A bit wet today (30.01.00) but improving all the time with the freeze/thaw cycles. COMMENT: Mingin, dreich and soggy are all words that spring to mind about today's weather. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Snow showers with W through to SW winds overnight have produced localised areas of unstable soft windslab overlying hail layers. Greatest accumulations are on sheltered steep slopes, tops of gullies and scarp slopes with NE through to SE aspects above 900 metres. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). During Sunday the snowpack has become increasingly wet with rain to the summits. Unstable cornices present. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 Rain will give way to snow showers overnight and during Monday. NW to W winds will form fresh areas of unstable windslab in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations will be on steep slopes, scarp slopes and gullies with NE through to SE aspects above 900m. Avalanches are likely in these locations, particularly where any existing hail deposits remain. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: N and E facing corries holding the best cover. ICING: Thawing to the summits. COMMENT: Winds easing on Monday. Wind scoured slopes will become hard frozen and icy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Snow showers with W through to SW winds overnight have produced localised areas of unstable soft windslab overlying hail layers. Greatest accumulations are on sheltered steep slopes, tops of gullies and scarp slopes with NE through to SE aspects above 900 metres. In these locations the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). During Sunday the snowpack has become increasingly wet with rain to the summits. Unstable cornices present. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 Rain will give way to snow showers overnight and during Monday. NW to W winds will form fresh areas of unstable windslab in sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations will be on steep slopes, scarp slopes and gullies with NE through to SE aspects above 900m. Avalanches are likely in these locations, particularly where any existing hail deposits remain. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: N and E facing corries holding the best cover. ICING: Thawing to the summits. COMMENT: Winds easing on Monday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Winds have eased and the prevailing direction is North-West. However in the northern Corries the direction is Southerly and the new cornice development is above climbing routes. Afternoon temperature at 1000 metres is 2.5 degrees. The new slab is soft where observed and shears easily on crust. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 Fluctuating freezing level, additional load and variable winds to 50 miles per hour will contribute to a poor stability surface slab and very weak cornices. Cornice failure will pull out soft slab below. The older snowpack will remain strong from crusts, with good bonds, in the middle and deeper snowpack. Avalanches will be likely, particularly above 1000 metres where cornices are new. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: There is soft slab on crust in lee locations with up to 20 centimetres of foot penetration. On windward slopes the rain and wind crust is crampon stiff. ICING: It is in the middle of another melt-freeze cycle. COMMENT: A very quiet climbing day in the Corries. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Areas of fresh snow have built up on NE through to S aspects with greatest accumulations to be found in sheltered locations. These weakly bonded deposits are shearing easily on the firmer snow ice. Large spindrift avalanches were observed engulfing parties in both the Lochnagar Parallel Gullies. Rain is beginning to increase the load on the already weakly bonded snowpack. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 There will be a period of instability overnight as the thaw continues. Rain will further destabilise recent deposits and reformed cornices will be prone to collapse. A brief return to colder conditions will begin to consolidate the snowpack before fresh accumulations start to build on NE to SE aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: High plateau areas and N to E corries holding most amounts. ICING: Subject to thaw conditions during Sunday. COMMENT: Cornices remain a hazard. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SUN 30/1/00 Mild conditions have left the surface layers of the snowpack very wet. Isolated areas of layered soft slab containing hail exists on sheltered N to E facing slopes. These layers are on top of a refrozen icy crust and are weakly bonded to the old snowpack. On steeper slopes like corrie headwalls and in gullies the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK MON 31/1/00 Overnight and during Monday morning isolated snow showers above 700 metres. These colder conditions will start to refreeze the old snowpack and new deposits of windslab will accumulate on sheltered slopes facing NE through to SE mainly above 700m. This new soft slab will be weakly bonded particularly where it overlies hail. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 700m. ICING: Wet thawing ice above 650m. COMMENT: A slight improvement in climbing conditions but new snow in gullies will require caution. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------