NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 22/2/00 Mainly South-Westerly winds with little new precipitation have created localised deposits of fresh windslab on North to North- East facing slopes above 950 metres. This lies on older slab deposits which still exhibited easy shears on North-East aspects at 1150 metres. Large cornices are present over all Easterly aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 23/2/00 Some overnight snow will be followed by heavy rain on South- Westerly winds during the day. There will be a hazard of cornice collapse on mainly Easterly aspects. Wet snow instabilities will be present on all aspects where recent slab lies, mainly on North through to South-East facing slopes above 800 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Plateau still thin: some new build- up in Northern Corries. ICING: Due to take a knock during thaw. COMMENT: No sign of settled conditions yet. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 22/2/00 Strong Southerly winds have helped redistribute unstable snow onto North aspects. Windslab is still present on NE, E and SE aspects above 1000 metres. Several weak layers are still present within the snowpack. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 23/2/00 A thaw with heavy rain at all levels is expected during Wednesday. This will produce a moist and unstable snowpack on many aspects. Wet snow avalanches will occur, notably on N through E to S facing slopes and gullies. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Cornices will become unstable and be prone to collapse. Later in the day, stability will start to improve. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow still lying down to 400m on Tuesday. ICING: Freezing level rising above the summits by Wednesday morning. COMMENT: Strong winds expected. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 22/2/00 Strong winds have deposited further layers of windslab on NW through to E facing slopes above 700 metres and in sheltered summit gullies. In places a firm dry crust exists which is weakly bonded to deep soft slab. This windslab is very unstable in steep locations such as gully exits. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 23/2/00 Soaring temperatures with rain at all levels will affect the snowpack. This will increase the load on weakly bonded windslab in gullies and on steep corrie headwalls facing NW through to E. In these locations avalanches will occur. Large cornices will be prone to collapse. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow cover above 400m. ICING: Ice on rocks above 400m. COMMENT: Ridges the safer option, collapsing cornices have potential to trigger "laden" slopes below as temperatures rise. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 22/2/00 Recent accumulations of windslab on NE to SE aspects remain unstable with shear tests revealing weakly bonded layers. A strengthening S wind has started to redistribute the dry light deposits onto NW to NE aspects. Deepest accumulations exist on mainly N to E aspects where the avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 23/2/00 A little fresh snow overnight will be followed by rain becoming heavy during Wednesday morning. All recent deposits on NW through to SE aspects will be destabilised as the snowpack becomes saturated. The rapid increase in load will cause weak layers to fail and avalanches will occur on steeper slopes where deeper accumulations exist. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4). Large soft cornices will also be prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Cover from around 650m. ICING: Present but requires clearing on N to SE aspects. COMMENT: Some good snow available for ski touring. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 22/2/00 Drifting of snow on strong Southerly winds has continued to build deep accumulations of highly unstable windslab on North- West through East to South-East aspects above 800 metres. The tops of gullies, bowls and steep slopes below cornices have the deepest deposits, but open slopes are also affected. Very unstable cornices are forming above the same aspects. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 23/2/00 Snow followed by rising temperatures and heavy rain will lead to a period of high instability. Accumulations of windslab on North-West through East to South-East aspects above 800 metres will become increasingly unstable for a time, and avalanches will be likely. Later in the day slightly colder temperatures will aid consolidation of the snowpack. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3), and fresh cornices will be prone to collapse. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Cover at all levels. ICING: Poor. Most routes are still buried. COMMENT: The general thaw could help climbing conditions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------