Northern Cairngorms

NC for 17.3:Overnight avalanches likely, NW to NE aspects above 1000m. Cornices! During the day, stabilizing trend. Considerable Haz

NC for 17.3:Overnight avalanches likely, NW to NE aspects above 1000m. Cornices! During the day, stabilizing trend. Considerable Haz

Forecast Snow Stability: Overnight, unstable windslab will continue to develop on North-West to North-East aspects above 1000m. Areas most affected will be steep, convex terrain where avalanches are likely. Instabilities will be more localised between 800 and 1000m. Cornices will be fragile. Lingering snowpack weakness on steep East through South to West aspects above 1000m. During the day the snowpack will begin to consolidate and stability will gradually begin to improve. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable

Forecast Weather Influences: Snowfall will clear during the middle of the night. Strong Southerly winds will increase to storm force for a short spell overnight before easing fresh to strong. The 900 metre freezing level will steadily rise to above the summits before dawn and remain there for the rest of the forecast period. Observed Weather Influences: A dry day with strong to gale force Southerly winds. The freezing level was around 900 metres. ObservedSnowStability: Significant drifting above 800 metres. Accumulations of poorly bonded windslab have developed on North-West to North-East aspects above 1000 metres. Localised moderately bonded windslab has developed on the same aspects between 800 and 1000 metres. Fragile cornices are building on these aspects. Cross loading has affected West and East aspects. Moderately bonded snow remains present on steep South-East to South-West aspects above 1000 metres. The avalanche hazard is Considerable.