•England Club Fields

•Mountain Weather

•Mountain Forecast Discussion

•Webcams and Weather Stations

The first notably chilly spell of meteorological autumn is expected this weekend, keep an eye on the tops for the first lying snow of the approaching season!

Get an early West coast weather check - our Glencoe webcams are updating from around 6.20am currently. Our Leadhills camera in the Lowther Hills is online 24/7 for a weather check in the Southern Uplands.

Please check Glencoe and Nevis Range mountain report pages for daily updates on activity and lift status.

Meteorological autumn is with us and we could see the first taste of winter on the Highland Mountains this weekend, as a deepening low pressure crosses the British Isles, giving heavy rain for large parts of England and Wales and pulling unseasonably cold air down into Highland Scotland. Snow showers arriving late Saturday from the North, will be most frequent on hills facing the sea to the North on Sunday.

Despite the temperature dip plenty of summer activities continue across the snowsports areas, though note that Nevis Range has concluded daily lift served mountain biking for the season. The lift served bike tracks will be closed this weekend, reopening Sat/Sun 27/28th September, then weekends in October.

However, lift served mountain biking continues daily down the road at Glencoe, with both the red and black downhill bike tracks, plus the blue, red and black xc trails on the mountain open daily through Sun 2nd November (wind permitting, check mountain report page for daily updates).

During spring, Glencoe revamped the lift served downhill bike tracks, featuring an improved combined lower section that runs out into a finish area adjacent to the White Corries Cafe at the base for both the red and black downhill tracks.

The Access Chairlift is open for sighting daily from 9am to 4.15pm with last lift down at 4.30pm. The Plateau Cafe on the mountain is open for hot and cold drinks, plus light snacks on weekends during the autumn from 10am to 3pm (providing the Access Chair is running). The White Corries Panoramic Cafe at the base is open daily 8am to 8pm.

For sightseeing the 15 minute walk to the summit of Creag Dhubh from the Access Chair is well worth doing for a fantastic 360deg panorama. The UKs highest disc golf course is also open daily. Both the disc golf and blue single track xc bike loop start from the Plateau Cafe.

Summer tubing at Glencoe on the dryslope is open daily through Sun 2nd November. Advisable to book tubing sessions online for summer to avoid disappointment at http://glencoe.axess.shop .

At Nevis Range, from the Top of the Gondola there is a choice of 2 view point walks. The Gondola opening hours have reduced from Monday 15th, now open 9.30am to 3.45pm for the last uplift. The lower mountain bike trails are open year round and the base Cafe Bar is currently open daily until 10pm for refueling after evening rides.

On CairnGorm the funicular will be closed for 3 days from Sunday, but weather permitting the magic carpets at the Daylodge level will be open for the small bike park. Tubing and mountain carting should be pre booked to avoid disappointment as sessions are filling up.

At the Lecht the Cafe is now closed until the snowsports season begins. The big news from the Lecht from mid August is that the Lecht has been granted full planning permission for a new snowfactory plant to be situated beside the existing piste basher garage that will produce more than 2.5 to 3x the snow output of the existing plant.

At Glenshee eyes are also turning to winter and early bird season passes are now on sale on the website, with early bird prices until 31st October.

:: England Club Fields

There are always opportunities to volunteer to assist various work parties over the autumn months to help get the club fields ready for winter, please visit the relevant websites and social media feeds for updates. Annual membership/season passes are now open.

Please check club access rules / availability if not a club member / pass holder.

Weardale: https: //skiweardale.com/ .
Allenheads: http://ski-allenheads.co.uk/ .

Yad Moss: https: //yadmoss.co.uk/ .
Raise: https: //www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/ .

:: Mountain Weather

At 6pm in the West at the Glencoe SSC hut at 850m the mid mountain temperature was +7.6°c, with a SW wind at 12 gusting 31 mph.

The SAIS AWS at the top of the Summit Tow was reporting +6.2°c on Aonach Mor, the wind at the Met Office Summit Run station was SSW 27 gust 58mph. The Tower 17 AWS on the Gondola was reporting a Southerly wind at 15 gusting 34 mph. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +13°c.

In the East the CairnGorm the Met Office Summit AWS reported +5.2°c with a Westerly at 33 gusting 60mph. Aviemore was at +13.5°c.

The Cairnwell AWS reported +8.1°c (3061ft /934m), with a West wind at a mean of 28 gusting 58 mph.

:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

After a very blustery Thursday, with gale-force winds sweeping across the Highlands giving gusts over 100mph on CairnGorm, things have eased from the West this evening and Friday will see the start of a transition into the weekend as the weather shifts toward a cooler, showery regime under a northerly influence that will bring unseasonably low temperatures into Highland Scotland. However, the worst of the weather and heavy precipitation is likely to be over England and Wales, and the far South of Scotland.

Friday will see blustery initially wet conditions over the West Highlands post dawn, but overhead should improve to just occasional showers drifting onto coastal hills, while further inland should see a mostly dry Friday. At Munro Level, temperatures will hover around 6 to 7 °c, but strong southwesterly winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts over 50mph initially. The perceived temperature will feel much colder, with windchill around -5°c in exposed locations. Visibility will be poor in any early rain and low cloud, particularly toward coastal and western-facing summits. Inland areas will see intermittent breaks in the cloud and better visibility for a time, with the Cairngorms enjoying a substantially dry day. Munro Level wind and temperature will be broadly similar to the West.

Saturday brings a drier interlude but with considerable uncertainty over wind speeds. There is uncertainty over the exact depth, track and timing of a low centre, thus a risk of more challenging wind speeds than Friday could quite abruptly after an early lull, so check the latest Met Office and MWIS updates.

In the West Highlands, early in the day on Saturday temperatures will start around 5 to 6°c at Munro Level, possibly dipping closer to 3°c later afternoon and the freezing level could lower onto the highest peaks before dusk. Moderate winds from the East or Northeast, may fall light and variable, but forecast to by evening be Gale Force. In the Cairngorms, a cold, sharp, wintry feel on the highest ground during the day with snow flurries possibly arriving from the North late afternoon or early evening.

Sunday 21st September looks likely to be cold and windy, with a strong or Gale Force North to NNE wind bringing showers into North facing hills. Over the West Highlands summit temps are likely to peak around 2 to 3°c, highest towards the South, winds remaining strong at 35 to 40 gusting to 50 mph in the morning, with only slight moderation into the afternoon. Glencoe hills may stay dry, but some snow showers may reach the Nevis Range mountains.

In the Northern Cairngorms, snow showers are likely to be more frequent on Sunday as the cold air aloft drives convective showers off the Moray Firth, with Munro Level temperature likely to be around 1 or 2°c, the highest terrain will be sub-zero, so the first autumnal covering is likely this weekend, North to NNE wind around 40 gusting 60mph on the Cairngorm Plateau. Showers will fizzle out crossing the range with only a few lighter flurries making it to the Southern Cairngorms, where more in the way of bright spells can be expected. Feeling as cold as -15°c on the exposed plateau areas.

Early next week brings continued cool, initially showery weather on Monday with a northerly or north-easterly influence keeping temperatures low, often just a few degrees above freezing at Munro Level, with freezing levels dipping to or below summit heights. After the showers on Monday fade, a substantially dry week looks most likely for Highland Scotland with decent sunny spells. Slightly less cold day by day from mid-week.

:: Webcams and Weather Stations

Lowther Hill: Leadhills webcam is online (24/7).

GLENCOE: All mountain webcams online and the first updated images will be shortly before 6.30am BST. Base webcam relocated to outside the White Corries Panoramic Cafe to give an overview of the finish of the downhill bike tracks.