Poor visibility during snow showers

Bright and sunny at times but during snow showers visibility was poor with a rapid build up of weakly bonded windslab, this was at 600m.

Cold with heavy drifting

The hills obscured by cloud and drifting.

Very wintry with an unstable snowpack

Cold windy conditions with snowfall have returned after the long settled spell.  Although wind exposed areas  are mostly firm and stable weakly bonded windslab has developed over the last two days at higher altitudes especially in areas of steep terrain. 

Wild Winter Weather Starts once more

Looking into Coire an t Sneachda

Drifting snow at 1000 metres on a Westerly aspect. All change with severe winter conditions ahead.

Hazy and Cold

Carn Etchachan from the flanks of Cairngorm

Snowpack remains frozen and hard in all areas - great for climbing - teeth chattering for skiers - serious runouts though for anyone tumbling !

Calm, with Hazy Sunshine

Rolling Cloud above Coire an Lochain

Snow conditions are extremely firm with very good snow-ice in throughout. Snow stayed pretty much frozen for most of the day.

Spring conditions

Looking South-East from Cnap Coire na Spreidhe

Mild with drizzle over the tops this morning.  Large expanses of spring snow remain in the Cairngorms.  Down in the glen it feels like spring as the ice on Loch Morlich thaws.

Bright sunny day

Looking into Coire an t-Sneachda; little change after the brief thaw.

Dull and Drizzly

Glenmore Forest from the Ski Road - First view today!

Clear and Sunny

Walkers enjoying glorious views to the North from the Fiachaill of Coire Chais

Enjoying some nice snow on the South side of cairngorm

Another sunny day

Excellent plateau cover, although milder temperatures the snowpack is remaining cold.

Little change;  Generally stable with localised intabilities, due to the facets beneath the firm surface crust. 

Facet layer developing

Localised weaknesses below the surface crust due to the developing facetted layer.  This was on a North-West aspect at 1050 metres.

Generally conditions are excellent and the overall  snowpack is stable.

Light snow flurries

A great day for climbing, light winds, cold, snow flurries. For travel the snowpack is firm and boulder fields are filled in.

 

Cold calm conditions

Facets continuing to develop just below the strong surface crust.  These were found within a shallow snowpack on a North-West aspect at 1080 metres. 

In some locations the surface crust breaks away easily underfoot, revealing the dry facet layer.

Coire an t' Sneachda looking wintry

Fiacaill Buttress

Very cold with sunshine

Cloudy conditions over in the South

Surface Hoar has developed in the very cold temperatures.

Etchachan and the shelter stone looking good.

Cold with Good Snow-Ice Conditions

Northern Corries, Cairngorm - Cloud capped

 very firm snow ice conditions - great climbing - very firm for skiing - serious runouts

SAIS team in Corrie Lochain comparing notes L to R Colin Bruce, Tim Walker, Sandy Allan, Mark Diggins, Alan Dennis

Another Blue day

Looking toward Loch Etchachan from Cairngorm Summit

Heading toward the Saddle and Loch Avon - Ben Avon beyond

Blue Sky Day

Northern Corries from Glenmore

 A good day for a change - snowpack improving considerably with freeze thaw cycles - hard and icy conditions unless in the sunshine.

Cairngorm Plateau - Ben Macdui

Coire an Lochain Cliffs

Heading toward  Goat track - Cairngorm Summit behind

A nice sunny day

Stable spring snow conditions at lower altitudes; a cooler snowpack with localised instabilities at higher shaded elevations. 

Heather hopping required at 600 metres

Great ski touring on spring snow

Mild and dry

Good snow cover, with sun crust developing.

The weak facet layer is still presenting a weak snowpack especially in areas of steep convex terrain.  Careful route finding and spacing is needed in these areas.

Better Weather

Looking toward the Northern Corries  - Sneachda and Coire Lochain

Areas of deep poorly bonded windslab are present on many W through N to E aspects above 600 metres especially on steep convex slopes  - good route finding skills required

Avalanche crown wall and debris from triggered avalanche at 700m altitude on  a North -West aspect.
deep instabilities will persist with steep areas and convexities especially affected.

Heavy Snowfall and Severe Drifting

Conditions at 600m BBC sound recordist Chris with mike.

Very severe drifting and poor visibility with a clear avalanche hazard today especially high up

Very cold with much lighter winds today

Good cover after recent storm snow, hard going underfoot unless your on the main trod.

Buttresses looking very wintry. 

Poor visibility, cold with spindrift

Ciste Crag.  Strong winds with plenty of spindrift blowing around.

Looking up the Ciste Gully, poor visibility with plenty of snow

The weather began to improve by early afternoon but still plenty of drifting even at 550m

Busy Cairngorm day

A break in the clouds at 1000m reveals a busy ski area.

Great ski touring between banks of cloud

But not much fun for the ski tourer at the saddle with a broken ankle.

A glimpse of the Northern Corries