NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 12/2/00 Frequent heavy snow showers have created extensive areas of deep windslab on mainly North-East to South-East facing slopes. The exits of gullies on Northerly aspects have also been subject to loading. Easy shears were obtained in new surface slab layers on a North-East facing slope at 910 metres. Cornices are building over these aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 13/2/00 Continuing heavy snow showers on West to North-West winds will cause further deep accumulations on all Easterly aspects, particularly above 750 metres. Gully tops and scarp slopes on Northerly aspects will also be subject to cross-loading. Unstable cornices will be present above North through to South- East facing slopes. Avalanches will occur in these areas. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: New snow at all levels. Old snow- ice has "knife" hardness. ICING: Continuing to build, but rapidly being buried. COMMENT: A return to the snows of yesteryear. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 12/2/00 Strong Westerly winds and show showers overnight and during Saturday have created large areas of soft unstable windslab. Greatest accumulations are on sheltered NE, E and SE aspects. Other sheltered locations are also affected. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Avalanche activity noted on East aspects of Aonach Mor, and N Castle gully, Ben Nevis. Wind blown snow slopes remain frozen and stable. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 13/2/00 A W/NW airflow with snow showers overnight and during Sunday will continue to redistribute and form fresh areas of unstable windslab in many sheltered locations. Greatest accumulations will be on sheltered steep slopes, gullies, and scarp slopes with NE, E and SE aspects. Avalanches will occur in these locations. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Cornices will continue to form. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Fresh snow lying to 100 metres. ICING: Improving in continuing colder conditions. COMMENT: Areas of fresh windslab will require extreme caution. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 12/2/00 Heavy showers overnight and during this morning have deposited windslab on NE to SE slopes mainly above 700m. Deep layered soft slab exists on steep corrie headwalls and in sheltered summit gullies. There are instabilities near the surface and within the snowpack and some layers are very weakly bonded. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 13/2/00 Heavy showers overnight will continue to deposit soft slab on E to SE slopes and any sheltered areas mainly above 700m. Deep layered soft slab will be very weakly bonded on steep corrie headwalls and in summit gullies. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). Avalanches are likely on corrie headwalls and summit gullies overhung by unstable cornices. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover aboe 600m. ICING: Ice forming on rocks above 300m. COMMENT: Ridges and buttresses the safer option many gullies "loaded". SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 12/2/00 Snow showers on strong winds have deposited soft dry windslab into sheltered locations on N through to SE aspects above 850 metres. Stability is poor with shear tests revealing a weakly bonded snowpack. On steeper lee slopes and in gullies the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). Cornices are reforming. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 13/2/00 Snow showers overnight and tomorrow will continue the build up of weakly bonded windslab on N through to SE aspects. Cold temperatures will ensure that little consolidation takes place as the load increases. In gullies and steeper sheltered locations avalanches will occur. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Exposed slopes remain firm and stable. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Localised accumulations on N through to SE aspects. Old snow on high plateau areas. ICING: Despite colder temperatures the ground is still very soft. Most reliable ice is above 900m. COMMENT: Careful route selection required on Sunday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 12/2/00 Very cold temperatures combined with frequent heavy snow showers and drifting on a strong Westerly wind has accumulated deep, highly unstable windslab on North through East to South aspects above 750 metres. Lee slopes, sheltered gullies and hollows of the above mentioned aspects will be affected. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4); loose snow avalanche activity was observed in Coire Chriochairein. Large, highly unstable cornices are also building on above aspects. AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 13/2/00 Continuing snow showers and drifting will further add to already deep unstable windslab deposits on North through East to South aspects above 750 metres. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur on the above mentioned aspects. Cornices will continue to build and remain unstable through-out this period. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Improving cover at all levels, better above 650 metres. ICING: What little there was is now buried. COMMENT: The climbing might be poor but ski-touring conditions improving all the time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------