NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 7/2/06 Strong South-Westerly winds with rain have affected the mountains at all levels. The snowpack that exists above 900 metres is generally well bonded and stable. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 8/2/06 Very strong North-Westerly winds with snow falling above 200 metres are expected to affect the mountains during the day. Areas of unstable snow will build in sheltered, lee slope locations on East to Southerly aspects above 200 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very thin cover, but more extensive above 900m on S aspects ICING: Thin wet ice remnants in corries. COMMENT: A more wintry scene expected. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 7/2/06 Heavy rain and a moderate South-Westerly wind prevailed in the area today. The saturated snowpack continues to thaw and remains generally stable and well bonded. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 8/2/06 Snow showers and strong North-Westerly winds are expected overnight and during Wednesday. Snow to near sea level by Wednesday evening. Drifting will occur in sheltered areas and windslab will accumulate in gullies and on scarp slopes with an East through South to South-West aspect. Instabilities will be present where the windslab accumulates on the old snowpack above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow remains above 950 metres, mainly in gullies and on corrie rims. ICING: Freezing level remains above the summits, falling to 200 metres on Wednesday. COMMENT: Winter returns! GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 7/2/06 Heavy rain overnight and today has saturated and reduced the snowpack. Remaining snow cover is now mainly above 950 metres in sheltered areas such as gullies and North and Easterly corrie rims. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 8/2/06 A return to colder weather will give snow showers overnight and on Wednesday. North-Westerly gales will form accumulations of new snow in sheltered gullies and on slopes with a North-East to Southerly aspect mainly above 700 metres. Instabilities will exist where deeper windslab forms on very steep slopes or in areas where older snow-ice underlies. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2) CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Very limited cover left on Tuesday but outlook is for snow showers. ICING: Getting progressively colder. Freezing level 800 metres overnight 400 metres on Wednesday. COMMENT: Glencoe area expected to remain sheltered from the heaviest snow showers on Wednesday. Windy. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 7/2/06 There has been very little change to the current situation with the patchy snow continuing to thaw slowly. The snow is well bonded and stable on all aspects. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 8/2/06 Snow showers on strong winds will form windslab in sheltered locations on E to S aspects. Where new deposits acquire depth over older snow-ice they will be moderately to weakly bonded. The locations that are most likely to provide the greatest hazard include corrie rims and scarp slopes above 950 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Largest areas are on the higher hills of the Cairngorm Plateau. High N to E facing corries are also holding some snow. ICING: Very lean conditions at present. COMMENT: Strong winds and snow showers will give difficult conditions at times on Wednesday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS TUE 7/2/06 It has been mild and wet with very heavy rainfall. The remnants of snow have been thoroughly moistened and further depleted during this period of thaw. There is very little snow below 850 metres but larger patches are still present above this altitude on corrie rims, plateau areas and gully tops. Although stability remains reasonable, many of these patches have a very wet bed surface layer. The avalanche hazard is Moderate (Category 2). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK WED 8/2/06 More wintry weather with strong North-West winds will set in early. New windslab will begin to build on steep East to South aspects above 900 metres and winds will also cross-load slab on to some North-East facing gullies. Deeper less well-stabilised deposits of wind-blown snow will only develop on very sheltered ground. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate (Category 2). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Expected to improve by the end of Wednesday. ICING: Several significant waterfalls noted on the Post Face on Tuesday. COMMENT: 75 mph gusts expected again on Wednesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------