•Glencoe Sledge Park

•England Club Fields

•Mountain Weather

•Mountain Forecast Discussion

•Webcams and Weather Stations

CairnGorm Mountain and Glencoe are offering top and some mid mountain spring riding. Becoming unsettled into the new week, freeze/thaw cycling, strong winds and at least some new mountain snowfall.

Been out on the slopes - please send us your photos to the email address at the foot of this page.

The High pressure which has brought a number of days of sunshine and light winds is beginning to slip away, as witnessed by stronger winds this evening though these should fall back again for Saturday. Thus Saturday is likely to be the best day of the weekend, though Sunday might stay dry in the East, blustery winds might affect the top tows on CairnGorm particularly early and later in the day.

What a roller coaster the weather has been on since late in the previous week, around 50cm of new snow driven in on Storm Force winds for the mountains near the West Coast, a brief interlude part way through to enjoy the new snow at Glencoe last Saturday before more came down on Sunday with even stronger winds. All to be followed by even stronger winds on Monday morning, which meant only a couple of ultra keen tourers got to lay tracks on the fresh snow from Sunday before monsoon conditions arrived early this week. Next week looks like seeing another trip on the roller coaster with further thaw/freeze cycling and new hill snow.

The main action is on Cas side mid mountain and the Top Basin on CairnGorm and on the upper mountain at Glencoe. So while there is still a decent range of terrain for all abilities to get their edges into, overall for mixed ability groups and those looking for green to easier intermediate terrain then CairnGorm is the better option as it offers top station to mid station riding from the Funicular and has selection of green terrain at the top of the mountain. Glencoe is more suited to stronger intermediates and above at present, the Cliffhanger and mid mountain is primarily for access and when it softens up, the Wall (red). The Rannoch Chair is running for access to the Cliffhanger only via Old Mugs Alley.

Saturday is not expected to be as warm as recent days, but rising humidity may help loosen up the snowpack. Each day has been slightly different in where the best riding has been at a given time of day, so some exploring may be rewarded, but speak to ski patrol for the latest info. Most likely to best to start on the recently pisted stuff on Saturday morning!

Check out the pix from the slopes for Glencoe for a fuller report on run snow cover, but note the day to day differences in surface conditions!

Glenshee and the Lecht are currently closed for snowsports, it is likely Glenshee is now closed for the season, whereas the Lecht can come back from nothing due to convective snowfall on spring Northerlies even into May! Nevis Range is closed for snowsports.

:: Glencoe Sledge Park

The Sledge Park is full length and in good shape thanks to snow making from the snow factory. There are over 150 sledges to grab at the Plateau Cafe! It is advisable to arrive before 2.30pm at the latest for sledging to get a decent amount of time on the hill. First chair up at 9am, the sledge park is always quietest before lunch time. Last chair down scheduled for 4.30pm.

:: England Club Fields

All the club fields are waiting for new snow to be able to reopen.

For both Weardale and Allenheads, you need to join the club with a season pass, these are still available for both at this time.

Please check club access rules / availability if not a club member / pass holder.

Weardale: https: //skiweardale.com/ .
Allenheads: http://ski-allenheads.co.uk/ .
Yad Moss: https: //yadmoss.co.uk/ .
Raise: https: //www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/ .

:: Mountain Weather

At 6pm in the West at the Glencoe SSC hut (850m) the temperature was +5.6°c, with wind at 11 gusting 27mph. At the Top of the Access (671m) it was +7.6°c. At Base level (366m) it was +10.5°c.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting +3.1°c. The Met Office station was reporting a SW wind at 30 gusting 50mph. At the CIC Hut (680m) it was +7.6°c. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +11.0°c.

In the East the summit weather stations on CairnGorm reported +3.8°c, with a South Westerly at a mean of 29 gusting 43mph. At Aviemore the temperature at 6pm was +11.3°c.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS reported +7.1°c with a Westerly at a mean of 27 gusting 32mph.

:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

Saturday will be the last day of the current high pressure before it slips away and allows a more changeable spell of weather into the new week. There will be more higher level cloud / haze around and more general cloud possible later in the day as the high edges away, also a degree or two cooler. Further north in the West Highlands cloud may thicken enough for some drizzle. Expecting +4 to +5°c at Munro Level, light to moderate SW wind should not cause any issues, higher winds on Friday evening are expected to ease again overnight.

Sunday is a bit more complex, a deepening low pressure will pass above the high pressure as it attempts to ridge back north. On balance a blustery but not too windy day is expected, with stronger winds overnight Sat into Sun and Sun into Monday than during much of daylight hours. However, notably stronger winds will pass just to the North of Scotland or even over the Northern Highlands, thus not much change in the overall pattern could bring much stronger winds to Glencoe and CairnGorm.

At this stage Saturday looks the safer bet for a weekend slide and if Sunday is your chance to get up, keep an eye on how the mountain forecasts develop. Currently expect Sunday to see a mix of brighter spells and wintry showers, these turning to snow on the Munros in the West as cooler air begins to push in from the West. The Eastern Highlands should stay dry until much later in the day.

By Monday it looks like the freezing level will be back down onto the Murnos across Highland Scotland in the morning under a transient ridge of high pressure. So a fine and dry morning with light to moderate winds is expected, but snow conditions likely to be firm through the best of the weather so expect a morning to stick to the groomers!

Rain preceded by mountain snow will reach the Western coastal mountains after lunchtime, the freezing level erratically lifting above the summits through Monday afternoon / evening. WSW wind around 10 gusting 15 to 20mph will back Southerly or SSW ahead of the frontal precipitation strengthen steadily through the afternoon to be around 40 gusting 60mph by dusk, likely increasing further into the evening. Minus 2 or -3°c post dawn, rising plus 2 or +3°c at Munro Level by midnight into the early horus of Tuesday.

Tuesday is likely to see a wintry mix of precipitation and high winds, whether the freezing level falls later in the day or is already at or below Munro Level by dawn is uncertain, the GFS model brings in cold air much quicker than the Met Office. There is a 9.3°c spread in 850hpa level temperature at dawn on Tuesday morning in the latest GFS ensemble, the operational run being towards the lowest of these members.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday look likely to see Severe Gales or even Storm Force winds on Highland mountains. There will be some new mountain snow, precipitation heavier and more frequent towards the West Highlands with a W to NW airstream expected. Freezing Level may drop below the lower slopes later Tuesday or during Wednesday.

:: Webcams and Weather Stations

Lowther Hill: Leadhills webcam is online (24/7).

GLENCOE: All mountain webcams online and the first updated images are shortly before 6am. Sledge Park camera streams overnight. The mid mountain weather station wind direction is not working, other data valid.