Creag Meagaidh

CM for 17.2. Instability N-SE overnight due to rainfall. Consolidating trend, windslab development later. Avalanche Hazard Moderate.

CM for 17.2. Instability N-SE overnight due to rainfall. Consolidating trend, windslab development later. Avalanche Hazard Moderate.

Forecast Snow Stability: The snowpack will become saturated due to intense rainfall, resulting in a period of instability overnight on North though East to South-East aspects above 850 metres. Cornices will be prone to collapse on the same aspects. During the day, the snowpack will gradually consolidate as the freezing level drops. Later, shallow accumulations of mostly isolated and avoidable windslab will develop on North-East to South-East aspects. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate.

Forecast Weather Influences: A deepening low pressure system will result in the winds building from strong to storm force by the early hours of the morning, before gradually dropping to very strong later in the day. Initially from the South-South-West the wind will veer through West to West-North-West later. Heavy rain overnight at all levels will give way to showers falling as snow above 700 metres as the freezing level drops early in the morning. Observed Weather Influences: Precipitation fell as light snow above 900 metres overnight, followed by a generally dry day. The wind was from the South-West and fresh at higher elevations. The freezing level was around 900 metres, rising to 1000 metres by the end of the day. ObservedSnowStability: Unstable accumulations of shallow windslab were deposited overnight, mainly on North to East aspects above 950 metres. These are found in steep locations mostly around coire and plateau rims, combined with fragile cornices. In other locations the snowpack is generally moist, consolidated and stable. The avalanche hazard is Low.