A thin cover of new snow
20th March 2023
A thin cover of new snow gave the Cairngorms a fresh wintry feel, before it melted again during the afternoon. Initially it was bright and sunny, but by late morning a thin shroud of cloud capped the highest summits. Underfoot conditions are mostly bare ground with ribbons of snow below 900 metres, patches of soft spring snow mid mountain and a breakable crust at higher levels.
![](https://ncairngormsblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/015A5DFA-BD8E-4F31-AF01-A592DC441D5F-740x555.jpeg)
An East facing slope above Strath Nethy. These surface instabilities, most likely developed as it turned milder towards the end of last week.
![](https://ncairngormsblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/26CCE22D-EB76-4A7F-B1E8-9000C66603EA-740x555.jpeg)
Again looking from the top of Cnap Coire na Spreidhe, more surface instabilities can be seen on the East facing slopes above Strath Nethy.
![](https://ncairngormsblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/8BF47496-5AD7-49FF-8E83-FC63DCC2860E-740x555.jpeg)
In the distance the upper buttresses of Coire and Lochain, the Fiacaill of Sneachda, and in the foreground Fiacaill a Choire Chais.
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Dave Cullen
20th March 2023 7:59 pm
Could I just check please about today’s snow profile? The “profile table” data indicate partially decomposed new snow sitting on a melt-freeze crust at 5cm depth with a max hardness difference of 4. The “avalanche data” section above indicates a “Fail at 15cm”. Is this correct or should that read “fail at 5cm”?
ncairngormsadmin
21st March 2023 10:46 am
Hi Dave
Thanks for your interest.
To answer your question the snowpack failed at 15cm on the soft wet grains.