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

CairnGorm and Glencoe are open daily for spring snowsports, weather permitting, alas the weather seems to have other ideas this weekend!

High winds prevented any play at Glencoe, apart from a few hardy tourers determined to get some fresh tracks in the Main Basin, while at CairnGorm which initially opened to the top, saw all surface lifts close by lunchtime due to increasing wind speeds. By closing time on Saturday wind was marginal for the Funicular.

Unfortunately the forecast wind speeds for Sunday are even higher than Saturday, so uplift looks unlikely for Glencoe unless the forecasts are significantly out! That includes the Access Chair for access to the sledge park. At CairnGorm only the Funicular is likely to run on Sunday and wind speeds are marginal even for that. In both cases check AM updates and be prepared to abort or have a plan B for the day!

The better news is that the strong wind will be accompanied by further new snow overnight and during Sunday on the mountains with significant drifting in the strong winds. Wind speeds are due to drop away overnight Sunday into Monday, so it is time to start planning to catch some spring freshies on CairnGorm and Glencoe on Monday and Tuesday!

It has been a fairly spectacular weather roller coaster over the last week, with heavy snow preceding and during Storm Dave, then the warmth of Tuesday and Wednesday, giving the hottest days of the year so far, and now the mountains back below freezing with potentially significant further mountain snowfall through the remainder of the 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!

CairnGorm is 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!

While the Traverse is loaded, the mid Cas and lower end of the 105 is thin and narrow, but was improving again with drifting snow filling it back in. This relative lack of snow on the Upper Cas is fairly typical of seasons where the big snow storms were dominated by East or SE wind.

If you are prepared to do the leg work the Ciste Gully is complete to below the level of the former boardwalks. However, please not that the Funicular touring pass is not available currently.

The main action at Glencoe is on the upper mountain, with the Main Basin and Happy Valley being pisted regularly. The Spring Run was great fun during the warm spring temperatures earlier this week, the base has now refrozen, so check with patrol for the latest on how much new snow has stuck. It could be anything from epic to a survival course! Mid mountain a combination of Mugs Alley and Old Mugs Alley, will get you back to the Plateau Cafe via easier terrain, while for more advanced riders the Wall (red) is also skiable. The Plateau Poma uptrack has been filling in again during Saturday, so hopefully the breaks in the base will be repairable.

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 4.30pm.

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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 -1.2°c. At the SSC hut (850m) the temperature was +0.3°c. At Base level (366m) it was +6.2°c with the wind at 7 gusting 19mph.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting -1.9°c. The Met Office station was reporting a South wind at 35 gusting 57mph. At the CIC Hut (680m) it was +2.1°c. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +7.5°c.

In the East the summit weather stations on CairnGorm reported -2.3°c, with a Storm Force Southerly at a mean of 60 gusting 71mph. At Aviemore the temperature at 6pm was +8.7°c.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS reported +0.7°c with a South wind at a mean of 38 gusting 50mph.

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:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

Increasingly stormy again overnight Saturday into Sunday with further mountain snowfall moving in later Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday morning, heaviest in the West. Blizzard conditions will set in on the mountains and in more exposed mountain locations wind speed could increase to the region of 60mph with gusts pushing 80 to 90mph in the more prone locations.

In the East Sunday will see a mix of hefty snow showers and some brighter spells. But expect at least intermittent whiteout at higher levels of the Cairngorms. South veering SW 40 to 45mph gusting 65mph widely and only slowly moderating during Sunday, around and downslope of the Cairngorm Plateau likely to see gusts of 70 to 80mph or above.

In the West overnight frontal precipitation will become showery for a time, with a slight moderation in the wind, but the showers will then intensify during the day, with clusters of snow showers merging together to give more prolonged periods of mountain snow, with blizzard conditions at height. As the showers intensify the wind will veer SW and pick up again to around 45 to 50 gusting 60 to 70mph in bigger showers.

Between -1 and 0°c at Munro level on Sunday, may drop a degree or two further in heaviest precipitation.

Wind speeds will moderate considerably overnight into Monday morning. Monday looks to be an improving day of moderate Southerly wind easing further with a mix of sunny spells and mountain snow showers with the Munro Level temperature around -1°c, later rising to +1°c. Showers will gradually fade as a ridge pushes in.

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. Around 0°c at Munro Level, rising +2°c later. SE winds will start to freshen later afternoon and gales are likely to develop by or post dusk.

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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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