Northern Cairngorms

NC for 5.1:Old snowpack well bonded, stable. Isolated windslab around coire rims gully tops on N, E, SE aspects above 900m. Low Haz.

NC for 5.1:Old snowpack well bonded, stable. Isolated windslab around coire rims gully tops on N, E, SE aspects above 900m. Low Haz.

Forecast Snow Stability: The old snowpack will remain well bonded and stable throughout. The greatest amounts will be around coire back walls and plateau areas on North through East to South-Easterly aspects above 900 metres. Isolated pockets of shallow windslab will be present on North through East to South-East aspects above 900 metres. These will be mostly confined to wind sheltered areas such as gully exits flanks and coire rims. The avalanche hazard will be Low.

Forecast Weather Influences: Very light snowfall is expected to clear during Saturday evening. Gale force West-North-West winds will ease through the night to become fresh to strong South-South-Westerlies at dawn, gradually increasing through the day, becoming gale force during the afternoon. The 500 metre freezing level will rise and remain above the summits by early morning. Observed Weather Influences: A dry morning followed by rain then snowfall at higher levels by mid afternoon. Gale force winds were generally South-Westerly in direction. The freezing level was above the summits at midday, before turning much cooler through the afternoon. ObservedSnowStability: The snowpack is firm well bonded and stable throughout. Greatest amounts are around coire back walls and plateau areas on North through East to South-Easterly aspects above 900 metres. Later in the day new accumulations of windslab developed on Northerly to Easterly aspects above 1000 metres. These are generally shallow, isolated and mostly confined to wind sheltered locations such as coire rims and gully exits. The avalanche hazard is Low.