Northern Cairngorms

NC for 12.1.25. Generally deep but stable in most places. Isolated areas of unstable windslab above 1000m on NW,N,NE. Haz Moderate.

NC for 12.1.25. Generally deep but stable in most places. Isolated areas of unstable windslab above 1000m on NW,N,NE. Haz Moderate.

Forecast Snow Stability: In most areas the snowpack will be generally stable. However weakly bonded windslab will persist in isolated places above 1000 metres on North-West to North-Easterly aspects. Coire rims, gully top and ridge flanks are likely places where these accumulations will be located. Elsewhere, deep unconsolidated but stable snow will lie on all aspects above glen level. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate.

Forecast Weather Influences: A dry day is expected. Winds will be fresh Southerly overnight increasing strong to gale force through the day. Inversion conditions will maintain cold temperatures below 900 metres for most of the day but summit temperatures will reach around plus 2 degrees celsius by the end of the forecast period. Observed Weather Influences: A dry day with cloud on the tops at first, clearing up later. Very cold day with the freezing level at glen level. Inversion conditions with summit temperatures (-6 deg C) well above glen level temperatures (-14 deg C) in the morning. Winds fresh to strong Southerly at summit levels with drifting snow especially at lower elevations. ObservedSnowStability: Consolidation of the existing snowpack has taken place with a general improvement in stability in most areas. However new unstable windslab has formed due to snow redistribution on North-West to North-Easterly aspects above 900m although these areas are isolated they are weakly bonded to the underlying snowpack. Areas most affected are coire rims, gully tops and ridge flanks. Elsewhere deep unconsolidated snow lies on most aspects above glen level. The avalanche hazard is Moderate.