Blizzard with storm force winds

         Very stormy conditions today, this was at 580 metres, winds were gusting 60mph here.

Colder day, Drifting, Unstable Windslab

A better day with less wind although this increased later - becoming clear at times but cold.
Best snow is at lower elevations if on ski. Scoured and icy at plateau level. Breakable crust at lower elevations

Heading into Sneachda - poor vis

Weak windslab on a West aspects at 980 metres

Blizzards and Unstable windslab

Lurchers or Creag an Leth-choin summit

A day of strong winds and severe drifting, blizzards and whiteout - new and sometimes very deep windslab overlies soft snow of yesterday and is very weak - care needed !

New Snowfall - Not much Wind !

Icy ground conditions at plateau level 

Looking toward Fiachail of Coire an t Sneachda

Much less wind today poor visibility, a fresh cover of snow.

Whiteouts and Drifting

Heading into Sneachda on scoured West aspect  very poor vis

Less windy than previous days good snow cover but large areas of unstable windslab and massive cornices above steep slopes and crags. Good navigation needed !

A morning of blizzards

Walking along the ski road at 525 metres.  Blizzard conditions at and above this level in the morning

By the afternoon a different picture.  Although strong winds continued with heavy drifting in the Cairngorms the sun shone at Glenmore

     

Heavy snow showers

Looking into Coire an t-Sneachda just before it closes in with the next heavy snow shower 

Weaknesses within the new windslab.  this was on a North-East aspect at 1030m

Very large cornices overhang the Fiacaill a Choire Chais ridge

Gale force winds

  Very strong winds with spindrift billowing, this was looking down the Ciste Gully at 700m.

Gnarly conditions ... not ideal for hanging around

Windslab quickly building, this was on a North-West aspect at 710 metres

Colder, Good visibility in the afternoon

Alladdins Buttress Coire an t Sneachda

Snowpack has firmed up in the colder temperatures and is generally good and firm, some new areas of windslab also

Heavy Drifting , Snow and Rain

Poor vis in Sneachda - Alladins Buttress in view

A pair on Twin Ribs east aspect of Fiachail Coire an t Sneachda

Broiling wind cap over Cairngorms seen from Loch Morlich pm

A wet day, rain below 1000m, becoming snow as it cooled during day - severe drifting but V.Good snow cover above 700 metres if you can see !!

Very Strong South East winds and Blizzards

Cornices overhanging North West facing crags - old avalanche debris

Very strong winds and poor vis in the corrie mouths made for difficult and strenuous progress - a bit calmer once in the corrie.

A ridge of high pressure

 Avalanche debris from yesterday below Windy col.

Spindrift billowing in the Corries

Good weather in Strathspey

Cairngorm mountain looking good after recent snowfall

Skiing down the river bed

Although it was still snowing heavily above 1000 metres today,  a major thaw was happening at lower altitudes.  All isn't lost though as the freezing level is due to fall to 600 metres tonight and were expecting more snow with cooler temperatures during the week.

Cracking underfoot.

Yesterdays light winds and snowfall left a few centimetres of soft snow on all aspects.  This has been redistributed onto lee slopes, and now firm chalky windslab sits on top of the soft layer making it very weak.  This was on a North-West aspect at 1030 metres.

A calm day with new snow

A few centimetres of new snow lying on all aspects above 850m, sheet ice and hard neve beneath at higher levels.

Views looking across to Lurchers gully

Re-Freeze

Early light from Loch Morlich toward Cairngorm

Wind transportation at 1150m

Underfoot conditions on the Cairngorm Plateau

Looking into Coire an t Sneachda from Windy Col

Overcast but remaining Cold

Looking S from Cairngorm - ground scoured and bare of snow

Signs of instability in windslab NE aspect 1060m

Carn Etchachan and Shelterstone Crags

Clear and Sunny

N Corries from Cairngorm

Coire Cas and ski slopes - Loch Morlich beyond

Pair descending to 'Windy Col' on the plateau

A pair ascending the Fiachail of Coire an t Sneachda

Red Gully area in Sneachda truly plastered in snow-ice

Good snow cover (Snow ice) on the Plateau, Ben Macdui beyond

Strong winds with good visibility

Looking South across the Cairngorm plateau towards Carn Etchachan

Sneachda with the Western hills in the far distance.  Cover looks good on the plateau but at present there are some large expanses of wind scoured hard snow ice and rime covered rocks.   

     Looking North - Ben Wyvis seen in the distance

Light snowfall

Coire an Lochain with nice looking winter conditions.  Old snowpack has refrozen and it's firm underfoot. 

New localised windslab accumulations can be seen on the East side of Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda

Light snowfall

       The large expanses of snow have firmed up at higher altitudes.  Approaching Coire na Spreidhe at 1100m.

 Looking South-East with the East side of Cnap Coire na Spreidhe in the foreground .  

Light snowfall arriving at midday - Bynack More in the distance

Lighter winds

Views looking out from Coire Laogh Mor.  Large expanses of snow above 680 metres,  currently the crust is breakable with soft snow beneath, if possible travel on skis is a good option.

Canadian duo in the Cairngorms

 

The two Alans flew all the way over from Revelstoke in Canada to spend some time in the Scottish hills with the SAIS team.  Both have a huge amount of experience in the the field and Alan Dennis has also forecasted for many seasons over here in Scotland.  Thanks for your help guys and great to share some notes. We wish them both well and a safe flight home.