Northern Cairngorms

Forecast Snow Stability: There will be a redistribution of lying snow with heavy drifting. Poorly bonded windslab will develop on steep wind sheltered North-West to North-East aspects, with avalanches likely above 900 metres. West and East aspects will be affected by cross loading. Below 900 metres localised unstable windslab will develop on steep banks and burn lines. New cornices will be fragile. Elsewhere the snowpack will be firm and wind scoured. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable.

Forecast Weather Influences: Dry conditions expected throughout the forecast period. Strong South-South-Westerly winds will increase to gale force during the night and continue for the rest of the forecast period. During the early morning the 600 metre freezing level will rise to around 1000 metres. Observed Weather Influences: After overnight snowfall it was a cold sunny day with light West-South-Westerly winds. The freezing level was around 600 metres. ObservedSnowStability: There is a blanket of soft snow on all aspects, this overlies a very firm, icy snowpack. Accumulations of unstable windslab were observed on East to South aspects above 950 metres. The greatest instability is around coire rims gully tops and steep convex terrain. A small skier triggered avalanche was observed on an Easterly aspect at 1090 metres. Elsewhere stability is generally good. The avalanche hazard is Moderate.