Mizzle in the Mist
27th December 2025
High pressure continues to dominate the weather in Scotland. Some days you win with high pressure and experience calm, clear, dry and sunny conditions. Other days you loose. Today in the Northern Cairngorms area we lost. The high tops remained stubbornly shrouded in mist (damp mist at that), giving only fleeting glimpses as to what might have been. Down in the glen first thing, conditions were treacherous. Damp and drizzle prevailed in sub zero temperature leaving roads and pavements like skating rings.
Some snow does remain on higher elevations, mainly confined to steep corrie rims, headwalls and higher plateau areas on North to East facing aspects. These firm snow patches are interspersed with rimed up vegetation and areas of ice creating serious under foot conditions for the ill prepared.
Tomorrow promises to be a dry, bright and sunny day with light winds.
Below a flavour of conditions in the Northern Cairngorms today.
East facing aspect of Cairngorm around 1100m altitude. This was one of the most extensive areas of snow. The snow was firm and required crampons to cross safely.
Lots of rime ice and ice glazed rocks peppered the hillside between snow patches.
Summit of Cairngorm. The sun felt tantalising close at times, but the high tops never cleared. As can be seen in the photo, large parts of the plateau area are now snow free. The illusion of ‘white’ is created by heavy riming and an ice glazing on the rocks.
An atmospheric picture looking up from the Cas car park area. Coire an Lochain on the left of the picture and the East flank of Lurchers Crag on the right.
Lots of water ice around, interspersed with rime, ice glazed rocks and firm snow patches. Not a great combo for safe travel.
Comments on this post
Got something to say? Leave a comment
