Northern Cairngorms

NC 23/01 Unstable windslab on NW-NE-SE aspects above 850m. Wet snow instabilities from midday. Cornice collapse. Haz Considerable

NC 23/01 Unstable windslab on NW-NE-SE aspects above 850m. Wet snow instabilities from midday. Cornice collapse. Haz Considerable

Forecast Snow Stability: Poorly bonded windslab will continue to build above 850 metres on North-West through North-East to South-East aspects. Areas most affected will be steep wind sheltered locations. Fragile cornices will also be present on the same aspects. There will be a period of high instability from midday on the same aspects and here avalanches are likely. Cornices will be prone to collapse. Some consolidation will take place in the snowpack at lower elevations. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable

Forecast Weather Influences: Overnight, gale force Westerly winds will marginally decrease in the strength, backing South-South-East. Winds will then increase to storm force by mid morning, veering South-West. Early evening snow showers will clear overnight with snow being confined to the highest tops before turning to rain. Freezing level rising suddenly to above 2000 metres during the morning. Observed Weather Influences: Heavy snowfall throughout the day on storm force winds, mainly from the West-South-West. The freezing level was at 600 metres. ObservedSnowStability: New accumulations of poorly bonded windslab have developed on North through East to South-East aspects above 850 metres. The greatest accumulations are found above 900 metres in steep, wind sheltered locations. Between 600 meters and 850 metres, the snowpack continues to consolidate and stabilise. The avalanche hazard is Considerable.