sportscotland Avalanche Information
Service launches for winter 2013-14
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| Slab Avalanche |
Avalanche forecasts for selected areas of the Scottish
mountains start this week.
Throughout the winter the sportscotland Avalanche
Information Service (SAIS) will issue daily reports on the avalanche dangers in
the most popular mountain areas, allowing mountaineers, ice climbers and
off-piste skiers to make informed choices about where and whether to go.
It means a dedicated band of avalanche experts going out
every day, whatever the weather, to carry out assessments of the snow
conditions in the Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Lochaber, Glen Coe and
Creag Meagaidh.
And, for the first time this year, they will also provide a
limited forecast for the Torridon area in the North West Highlands. A pilot
service will start on 24 December and run to 29 December, then run from 1 to 5
January, 10 to 12 January, 31 January to 2 February, and from 14 to 22
February.
The sportscotland Avalanche Information Service will begin
issuing the main area avalanche forecasts on Thursday, 12 December, available
at http://www.sais.gov.uk .
Ironically the SAIS
launch this year coincides with a substantial thaw which, in itself, poses a
variety of safety issues. Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Adviser with the
Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS), advises anyone heading out to enjoy
the Scottish mountains to check both the weather and avalanche forecasts and
choose their route accordingly.
She said: “Thawing conditions combined with rain at all
levels can often lead to challenging burn and river crossings. If you are heading for the hills this week it
would be worth paying particular attention to your choice of route as burns may
be impassable in spate.”
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| Burn in Spate |
She added: “The temperature may be above freezing, but wind
can be a killer, especially if your clothes are wet.
“The cooling effect of the wind on damp skin and clothing is
known as ‘wind-chill’. Surprisingly wind chill is most marked at lower wind
speeds up to 15 mph and can lead to hypothermia. Adding that extra layer, such
as a synthetic duvet jacket, to your winter rucksack in case of emergency is
recommended.”