NORTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 11/1/03 Winds have shifted from a North to a Westerly direction and remained strong, snow transport on to North-Easterly aspects was observed with gully tops and scarp slopes below cornices particularly affected. Field tests produced an easy shear of 30-50cm depth of hard slab overlying a cold, low-density layer. North through East to South aspects above 900 metres are affected. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3) AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 12/1/03 Overnight and through the day moderate amounts of snow on a gale force Westerly wind are forecast. Temperatures will remain low and snow transport will continue. North through East to South aspects above 900 metres will be affected. New windslab deposits will build on to existing weak sub-surface layers. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur, gully exits and scarp slopes below cornices will be particularly affected. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow at all levels, watch out for the hidden rocks if out touring. ICING: Much improved on established watercourses, still some nasty verglas around though. COMMENT: Fresh unstable cornices will continue to grow particularly on Easterly aspects. LOCHABER AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 11/1/03 Settled dry conditions, with continuing light winds have had little effect on the thin snow cover. Isolated areas of hard windslab are present, generally at the top of W aspects. Accumulations are avoidable, and not significant. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 12/1/03 Heavy snow showers and strong westerly winds are expected overnight and during Sunday. Initially the fresh snow will fall down to 600m but the freezing level is expected to rise to around 1000m during Sunday. Significant new unstable windslab accumulations will generally be confined to the tops of NE and E aspects above 1000m and notably where it overlies older snow deposits. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Best cover in high N and E facing gullies. Thin and patchy elsewhere. ICING: Large areas of water ice still exist on many paths. COMMENT: Many large water-ice formations on Ben Nevis giving good sport. GLENCOE AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 11/1/03 It was a milder day with a trace of fresh snow above 700m. The general snow cover is still very thin and limited. Some deeper areas of snow exist above 900m: these are mainly in sheltered corries and on the higher Northerly slopes as well as in deep gullies. However there is not enough snow to create an avalanche hazard. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 12/1/03 Gale force Westerly winds will deposit new snow above 600m at first: this will gradually rise to 900m. The winds will moderate as the day progresses and the snow will become increasing wet as the freezing level rises to around 1000m. Wet snow instabilities will exist on steep slopes where accumulations of new snow have become deep enough. The greatest accumulations of snow will be in sheltered locations but mainly on slopes with an N through to E aspect above 800m. The avalanche hazard will increase to Moderate (Category 2). Ice on rocks and paths will start to thaw. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Snow above 500m. Deeper areas of snow above 900 metres. ICING: Freezing level becoming 1000m. COMMENT: New snow but accompanied with mild gale force westerly winds. SOUTHERN CAIRNGORMS AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 11/1/03 Localised areas of unstable windslab exist in sheltered locations on mainly SE to SW aspects above 800 metres. Terrain features of other aspects are also holding redistributed deposits. The snowpack is weakly bonded in places with tests blocks failing easily and cleanly. The avalanche hazard is Considerable (Category 3). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 12/1/03 Snow and severe gale force winds will rapidly accumulate highly unstable windslab in very sheltered locations on mainly NE to SE aspects. The freezing level will gradually rise to 1000 metres providing an additional trigger for avalanche activity. Redistributed deposits at lower altitudes on SE to SW aspects will also destabilise in the rising temperatures. The avalanche hazard will be High (Category 4) and avalanches will occur. CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thin cover from valley level. ICING: Lochnagar routes are generally lean and hard. COMMENT:Expect difficult mountain conditions early on Sunday. CREAG MEAGAIDH AVALANCHE HAZARD 1500 HRS SAT 11/1/03 There has been some very light snow showers across the summits driven on a fresh Westerly wind. However, despite isolated patches of soft snow beginning to appear in hollows on North-East to South-East aspects above 800 metres, snow cover generally remains very thin. Nowhere yet are deposits deep enough to cause any problems. The avalanche hazard is Low (Category 1). AVALANCHE HAZARD OUTLOOK SUN 12/1/03 Moderate snowfall on a severe gale force Westerly wind will quickly form areas of unstable windslab in the tops of gullies and hollows on North through East to South-East aspects above 800 metres. With this fresh windslab forming on top of very frozen ground and in some places hard ice it will slide easily if triggered. Small cornices will begin to form above the same aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable (Category 3). CLIMBING CONDITIONS SNOW DISTRIBUTION: Thin cover above 700 metres. Even the bigger gullies like Easy and Raeburn's are incomplete. ICING: There's still not enough on the established routes. However there are plenty of fun icefalls about to play on! COMMENT: We're getting some snow at last. Have fun but take care! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------