Winter mountaineers should perform their own tests on the snowpack to test its stability

The risk of avalanches remains high in three of the five areas covered by the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service.

Certain slope aspects in the Creag Meagaidh area, the northern Cairngorms and the southern Cairngorms remain at high risk, meaning natural avalanches are likely to occur as well as those set off by humans. Terrain above the 600m mark in the Cairngorms is at high risk; Glencoe and Lochaber have slopes at moderate risk of avalanche.

New windblown snow is not well bonded to the existing snowpack, leading to unstable conditions in many areas, with slopes facing south the most risky. Observers for the SAIS service say correct route choice is essential.

Away from the gullies and ridges, deep snow is making progress arduous and slow. Snow shoes or skis are recommended.

Mountain rescuers in Snowdonia have also warned that many mountains in the area have a risk of avalanche.

The Lake District felltop report from Helvellyn is not availabe at the moment.

The SAIS service was revamped this year, with a colour coded circular ‘rose’ giving better visual information of the risk on different aspects. The rose design also gives information on the altitude of different risk levels. The previous one to five rating has been ditched in favour of the descriptive rating. ‘High’ levels are the second most severe of the five-grade descriptions.

On Wednesday, two experienced mountaineers died on Ben Nevis’s north face when they were caught in a large avalanched and buried, while climbing on the Number Three Gully. Another man died from his injuries following an avalanche on Liathach.

Weather information, including the SAIS reports and forecasts, can be found via grough’s links at the top of this page.