UKC

3/1/15

A Significant Change!

Up until now the winter conditions have generally been hit and miss with heavy thaws & rain sweeping through. We had a significant fall of snow on night of Sunday 20th giving around 11cm of snow at low levels with more at higher levels. We started the following week with a low of -6 degrees and finished it at around 12 deg C!

Since Thursday the 31st the temperature on the summit of Cairngorm has been sub-zero with the freezing level predicted to remain around 900 m for the next 2 days before dropping to 500m on Tuesday and further through the week. For the next 10 days the temperatures are forecast to remain sub-freezing in the mountains with periods of heavy snow, namely today (Sun) and Mon (both 12 – 20 cm) and Thursday (20-30 cm). Overall during the next 10 days there should be a significant accumulation of snow. This is confirmed by the 528 thickness line on the synoptic charts (good indicator of snow to low levels) from Tue onwards never being to far from the North of Scotland with it forecast to sweep across the country on Thursday.

In reply to Andy @ ScotMtnHols:

Mebbes aye n mebbes naw.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=631728&v=1#x8205841

In reply to Jim Fraser:

Christ sake Jim- didn't you get any positivity for xmas? Forecast doesn't include biblical rain and tropical temperatures so be happy

In reply to Mike Lates:

Mike's getting excited because it's been the one occasion in history that the Cuillins aren't the last place in Scotland to turn white!

Progressively depressing drive from Elgol through Kintail the other day though.

(Amber warning for rain in Aberdeenshire and Perthshire.)

Positivity? During the last 24 hours the forecasts have started to converge. It will be cold this week. Not extremely cold but cold enough. Conditions for snow will exist though there may not be enough moisture in the atmosphere to give us the persistent big dumps that would give us substantial lasting cover in central and western parts.

Any plans for skiing might focus on Glenshee and the Lecht but flooding might stop some folk getting there!