Northern Cairngorms

NC for 21.2: Snowfall petering out by midday. Unstable windslab on N, E to S aspects above 800m. Fragile cornices. Considerable Haz.

NC for 21.2: Snowfall petering out by midday. Unstable windslab on N, E to S aspects above 800m. Fragile cornices. Considerable Haz.

Forecast Snow Stability: Unstable windslab will develop especially on North-East to South-East aspects above 900 metres. Windslab will also build on North and South aspects due to cross loading. The greatest instability will be within steep, wind sheltered locations such as gully exits, below coire rims and crag aprons. Fragile cornices will also develop. On these aspects below 900 metres windslab will build on terrain features such as steep banks and shallow gullies. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable.

Forecast Weather Influences: Strong to gale force West-South-Westerly winds will veer to become North-Westerly in direction from early morning onwards. Snowfall is expected, this will be heaviest overnight, lighter during the morning, petering out by early afternoon. The 400 metre freezing level will rise, and remain, at 700 metres from the middle of the night onwards. Observed Weather Influences: Gale force South-Westerly winds with snow showers through the afternoon. Fluctuating temperatures; the freezing level lowered to 1000 metres by midday before turning much cooler through the afternoon. ObservedSnowStability: The old snowpack continues to consolidate and a friable surface crust has developed on all aspects above 700 metres. Moderately bonded windslab remains on steep North through East to South aspects above 900 metres. During the afternoon new accumulations of unstable windslab developed on North-East to South-East aspects mainly above 900 metres. The avalanche hazard is Moderate.