Southern Cairngorms

SC 24.12: Majority of snow will be wet, soft but well bonded. Instability from steep terrain and cornices possible. Low Hazard.

SC 24.12: Majority of snow will be wet, soft but well bonded. Instability from steep terrain and cornices possible. Low Hazard.

Forecast Snow Stability: High freezing levels with rain will lead to an unstable period overnight but by dawn the majority of the snow will be soft, wet and generally well bonded. Minor surface instabilities may persist on the steepest terrain above 900 metres. Any remaining cornices will be prone to collapse. Greatest amounts of snow will be found on North-East through East to South aspects above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard will be Low.

Forecast Weather Influences: The freezing level will continue to climb to well above the summits. After very light rain overnight a dry day is expected. Windy throughout, initially gale force South-Westerlies, veering to West-South-West and strengthening towards storm force by end of the afternoon. Observed Weather Influences: Initially there was very light but continuous snowfall above 600 metres or so but as the freezing level lifted to around 800 metres late morning precipitation turned to rain below this level. Winds backed and eased becoming moderate to fresh from the South-West. ObservedSnowStability: Areas of moderately bonded windslab are present on steep wind sheltered locations above 900 metres on North-East through East to South aspects. These areas are generally localised with wind sheltered features holding greatest amounts. Elsewhere, above 600 metres there is a covering of thin snow on most aspects with deeper drifts in many wind sheltered features. The avalanche hazard is Moderate.