Northern Cairngorms

NC for 12/3. Strong Southerly winds, snow above 1000m. Fresh windslab on NW to NE aspects. Crossloading. Cornices fragile. Mod. Haz.

NC for 12/3. Strong Southerly winds, snow above 1000m. Fresh windslab on NW to NE aspects. Crossloading. Cornices fragile. Mod. Haz.

Forecast Snow Stability: During the night wet snow instabilities will slowly consolidate. Fresh unstable windslab will form in steep wind sheltered locations mainly on North-West to North-East aspects above 1000 metres. Greatest accumulations will be around coire rims and gully tops. Isolated windslab may also form on West and East apsects due to cross loading. Cornices will build on these aspects also. At lower elevations the snowpack will be generally moist and well bonded. The avalanche hazard will be Moderate.

Forecast Weather Influences: Gale force Southerly winds will ease slightly overnight, becoming moderate or fresh through the day. Precipitation throughout the period will initially fall as snow around the highest summits. During the day there will be snow to lower elevations. Overnight the freezing level will fall from above the summits and remain at 1000 metres. Observed Weather Influences: Heavy and persistent rain during the morning becoming showery with bright spells in the afternoon. Gale force South-Easterly winds. The freezing level generally around the highest summits. ObservedSnowStability: The snowpack is mainly moist and well bonded at all levels. Wet snow instabilities exist on steep North-West to North-East aspects above 1000 metres. Areas most affected are steep locations such as crag aprons and scarp slopes, gully tops and coire rims. Remaining cornices are fragile. The avalanche hazard is Moderate.