Southern Cairngorms

SC 21.01 Unstable windslab N-E aspects above 900m. Severe rapid thaw late afternoon. Cornice collapse! Av. Hazard - Considerable.

SC 21.01 Unstable windslab N-E aspects above 900m. Severe rapid thaw late afternoon. Cornice collapse! Av. Hazard - Considerable.

Forecast Snow Stability: Stability will have improved in many locations by morning. Fresh accumulations of unstable windslab will form in wind sheltered locations on North to East aspects above 900 metres. Moderately bonded deposits will be present below this altitude and on North-West and South-East aspects. Rainfall and the rapidly rising freezing level will destabilise the snowpack later in the day. Any remaining cornices will be prone to collapse. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable.

Forecast Weather Influences: 1250 metre freezing level during the early evening, lowering to 700 metres overnight. On Sunday morning it will rise steadily to 1000 metres by mid-afternoon and spike rapidly up to 1900 metres by late afternoon. Overnight precipitation will only fall as snow on the highest mountains. Light snowfall during the morning above 700 metres, then heavier precipitation turning to rain at all levels by late afternoon. Strong South-Westerly winds initially, becoming Gale force Southerly later. Observed Weather Influences: Light precipitation, falling initially as snow above 600 metres, gradually turned to rain on all but the highest summits as the freezing level gradually rose through the day. Strong to gale force, generally South-Westerly winds. ObservedSnowStability: Milder conditions are thawing deposits at lower elevations and consolidating recent accumulations at mid-elevations. Above 1000 metres in steeper, wind sheltered locations on North to East aspects, unstable windslab is present. Gully tops, defined corrie rims and scarp slopes are most affected. Below this level and on North-West and South-East aspects, localised areas of moderately bonded snow are present. The avalanche hazard is Considerable.