Northern Cairngorms Blog & Mountain Info

Binary Conditions

3rd March 2021

Covid -19

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service issues information to support permitted activity under current Scottish Government guidance.

Please be aware of current mandatory travel restrictions inÂ Local AuthorityÂ areas within Scotland and respect local communities by referring toÂ Scottish Government guidanceÂ and safe route choices for exercise. For further guidance please refer to the following information forÂ hillwalkers and climbersÂ andÂ snowsports on ski and board.

This blog is intended to provide hazard and mountain condition information to help plan safer mountain trips.

Today was characterised by different and mutually exclusive weather conditions. A temperature inversion, gave superb visibility at higher elevations with the glens below filled with cloud.

Below, it was cold and grey in the glen’s although the cloud did lift a little later. The snowpack remained firm and icy only softening where it received direct sunlight. A change is expected tomorrow with a band of precipitation coming through in the early hours of the morning. This will bring a dusting of snow, although this will be insignificant. With a cloudy and gloomy day in prospect tomorrow, these might be the last images of blue sky for a while.

Vista from the summit of Cairngorm looking south. Note the cloud filling the glens below.

Arguably there is nothing quite as forlorn as a ski area with no snow. I am not sure how to describe a ski area with consistently widespread snow cover, blue skies with no lifts turning? Covid?

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