General Situation // Scottish Ski & Winter Activity Report // Winterhighland

Both CairnGorm and Glencoe have seen fresh snow fall and drift during Sunday, the falls much more significant for West Coast mountains, with Glencoe seeing between 18 and 22cm in the past 24 hours according to radar data, with a few cm more expected this evening.

CairnGorm has seen less falling snow at around 4 to 7cm, but there has also been snow blowing in from higher plateau areas in the at times Storm Force Southerly winds.

High winds prevented any play at Glencoe this weekend, with even the Access Chair closed both days. So apart from a few hardy tourers determined to get some fresh tracks in the Main Basin, nobody has got at the April freshies yet! CairnGorm which initially opened to the top on Saturday, saw all surface lifts close by lunchtime due to increasing wind speeds, only the Funicular run at all on Sunday and it too only lasted the morning as wind speeds continued to climb.

The wind is set to drop away overnight for Monday and CairnGorm anticipate to open the same lifts as recent days when wind has allowed. The Funicular for access and mid mountain uplift, the M1 Poma and the Top Basin Tows. Whether enough snow has stuck mid Cas to widen the cover to allow the Cas T-bar to run will need assessed AM. Would expect particularly the White Lady to have caught a significant amount of windblown fresh for more advanced skiers and riders.

CairnGorm has been the pick if you are seeking easier terrain or wish to ride with a mixed ability group, with still good cover in the Top Basin terrain (various green trails), White Lady (red) and the Cas runs from the Traverse (green / blue). The White Lady in particular has a wide and deep base thanks to the persistent SE storms in January!

Whether Glencoe can reopen any of the Plateau green runs and lifts will need to be assessed AM. However there are significant windblown gains on the upper mountain on Happy Valley, the Main Basin, Rannoch Glades and the Spring Run. That also means there is likely considerable slab build up on the Flypaper, so heed warnings and speak to patrol. There have already been a few natural sluffs which have spontaneously released, have been spotted on the webcams at various points during Sunday.

Mid mountain the Wall looks to have made decent gains and the route down Mugs Alley and Old Mugs Alley has been improving throughout the day.

It has been a fairly spectacular weather roller coaster over the last 10 days with heavy snow preceding and during Storm Dave, then the warmth of last Tuesday and Wednesday, and now significant further mountain snowfall over this weekend.

With new snow and strong winds forecast, please consider the avalanche potential! The lack of reports with the SAIS season now ended outwith the Lochaber and Northern Cairngorms forecasting area does not mean lack of avalanche potential!

Glenshee and the Lecht are currently closed for snowsports. At update the CairnGorm Ski Road, the A939 Lecht Pass and the A93 Cairnwell Pass were open and clear.

:: Glencoe Sledge Park

The Sledge Park is full length and in great condition. Snowmaking continues round the clock. There are over 150 sledges to grab at the Plateau Cafe, sledging is complimentary!

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 4.15pm.

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:: 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/ .

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:: Mountain Weather

At 6pm in the West at Glencoe, the summit AWS on Meall a Bhuiridh (1097m) was reporting a temperature of -0.6°c with a WNW wind at 38 gusting 47mph. At the SSC hut (850m) the temperature was +0.6°c. At Base level (366m) it was +4.3°c with a West wind at 16 gusting 51mph.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting -1.8°c. The Met Office station was reporting a South West wind at 48 gusting 78mph. At the CIC Hut (680m) it was +1.9°c. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +6°c.

In the East the summit weather stations on CairnGorm reported -2°c, with a Storm Force South South Westerly at a mean of 64 gusting 94mph. At Aviemore the temperature at 6pm was +7°c.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS reported +1°c with a South West wind at a mean of 39 gusting 60mph.

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:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

Some heavy bands of frontal precipitation with mountain snow associated with a wrap around occlusion are pushing into the West Highlands at update. Further snowfall this evening will ease to showers which will fade later in the night as winds drop for Monday. April showers (of snow on the mountains) will bubble up increasingly during Monday afternoon, before fading during Monday evening as a ridge moves in.

Wind speeds will moderate considerably overnight into Monday morning. Monday looks to be a day of moderate Southerly wind easing further with a mix of sunny spells and mountain snow showers, which will pick up in frequency and intensity with the help of the April sunshine. Risk of hail and smaller risk of thunder and lightning in the afternoon. The Munro Level temperature around -1°c, later rising to +1°c, but dropping a degree or two in heavier convective snow showers. WInd South 20 gusting 30mph, some stronger gusts may occur around bigger shower cells in the afternoon.

Under a transient ridge of high pressure Tuesday will be a largely fine day, probably a bluebird start, though high cloud is expected to spill in later in the day from the West, with patchy rain into the evening before a more marked deterioration overnight as the ridge moves away. Around 0°c at Munro Level, rising +3°c later. SE winds will start to freshen later afternoon and gales are likely to develop by or post dusk.

Currently odds are for a poor day on Wednesday, particularly in the West Highlands, with longer periods of rain and a strong South or SW wind, perhaps improving into the afternoon. Precipitation more showery in the East, so providing wind does not get too high, CairnGorm looks more promising at this stage in terms of overhead for Wednesday. FL will be above the Summits, around +4 to +6°c at Munro Level, perhaps slightly higher on the northern side of the mountain ranges if wind stays Southerly.

Some model runs suggest another ridge moving through on Thursday, so a better day than Wednesday, but it may become cooler with a mix of brighter spells and high level snow showers.

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:: Webcams and Weather Stations

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

GLENCOE: All mountain webcams online and the first updated images are shortly after 6am (BST). Sledge Park camera streams overnight. Replacement Summit AWS has been installed and temperature data is available from 4 levels. Wind speed currently available at summit and base.

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