•Glencoe Sledge Park

•England Club Fields

•Mountain Weather

•Mountain Forecast Discussion

•Webcams and Weather Stations

CairnGorm Mountain and Glencoe set to offer top and mid mountain spring riding as the weather settles down for Wednesday, with high pressure then in control into the weekend.

Been out on the slopes - please send us your photos to the email address at the foot of this page.

A stinker of a day on the Highland Mountains with Storm Force Southerly winds peaking at Hurricane Force on CairnGorm where the highest speed of the day was 108mph. Needless to say there was no uplift on Tuesday.

Unfortunately at writing the freezing level remains above the summits, but both the temperature and wind speed are set to drop during the evening into early Wednesday as high pressure begins to ridge in, then build in situ over Highland Scotland to give a widely fine second half of the week.

The key in these storm cycles is where there is a net gain across the whole cycle. In turn this consolidated snowpack, subject to repeated and often aggressive thaw/freeze cycling, is what gives us the true granular spring snow corn that is one of the delights of skiing in a maritime rather than continental climate.

Both CairnGorm and Glencoe should be offering up a range of upper and some mid mountain terrain, but the exact extent of terrain will need to be assessed AM.

This current storm cycle shows both sides of why big storms are both friend and foe of the Scottish skier. Around a half metre of snow has fallen on the mountain at Glencoe in the days leading up to Monday lunchtime before this mild, wet and windy blast!

By Tuesday afternoon the Plateau Poma uptrack looked to still be salvageable, but even if there is not much more snow loss at Plateau level it may have to be left a day to dry out, so the Rannoch Chair is planned to run to give access to the Cliffhanger Chair via Old Mugs Alley.

Mid mountain the Wall T-bar uptrack was bashed out for the first time this season on Monday, so hopefully there is enough depth there to survive the last of the wind and rain this evening as the uptrack was still complete late afternoon. Conditions will be better suited to more confident intermediates and above at Glencoe.

With CairnGorm able to offer top station to mid station riding from the Funicular and having green terrain at the top of the mountain, CairnGorm is likely to be the best option for mixed ability groups and less experienced skiers / riders when uplift resumes. Still plenty for more experienced riders to get at with the White Lady still wide and deep, plus the M1 RaceTrack.

In summary there should be some superb spring snow riding that gets better day by day on CairnGorm and Glencoe through the second half of this week and into the weekend, with Glencoe overall having more varied terrain for more experienced skiers and boarders. Where the best riding on a given day and even over the course of a day is likely to be changeable, depending on air temperature, whether a humidity inversion gives drier air at height and extent of the spring sunshine. Start on the pisted lines then look for where the sun has been getting to work if things start the day firm.

Glenshee and the Lecht are currently closed for snowsports. Glenshee will review if there is any possibility of opening Meall Odhar at the weekend later in the week. Nevis Range is closed for snowsports.

:: Glencoe Sledge Park

The Sledge Park is full length and in good shape thanks to snow making from the snow factory. There are over 150 sledges to grab at the Plateau Cafe! It is advisable to arrive before 2pm at the latest for sledging to get a decent amount of time on the hill. First chair up at 9am, the sledge park is always quietest before 11.30am. Last chair down scheduled for 4pm.

:: England Club Fields

All the club fields are waiting for new snow to be able to reopen.

For both Weardale and Allenheads, you need to join the club with a season pass, these are still available for both at this time.

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 (850m) the temperature was +4.4°c, with the wind at 23 gusting 54mph (peak speed was 92mph just before 6am). At the Top of the Access (671m) it was +6.0°c. At Base level (366m) it was +7.9°c.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting +2.0°c. The Met Office station was reporting a SW wind at 43 gusting 61mph. At the CIC Hut (680m) it was +6.2°c. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +8.1°c.

In the East the summit weather stations on CairnGorm reported +1.7°c, with a Storm Force South Westerly at a mean of 65 gusting 81mph. At Aviemore the temperature at 6pm was +9.7°c.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS reported +3.4°c with a Southerly at a mean of 50 gusting 68mph.

:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

Another awful evening, but the wind and rain should both begin to taper off in the next few hours from update.

Precipitation will fizzle out overnight as pressure begins to rise through the early hours of Wednesday, with Munro Level temperature dropping to between 0 and -2°c by dawn on Wednesday. Early in the day towards the West Coast, visibility will be mixed, it may be brighter at higher levels initially, but banks of residual mist will sit at various levels first thing before lifting and breaking. Westerly around 15 gusting 25mph by opening time in the West, perhaps a bit fresher first thing in the East. FL will lift to near or just above the tops with +3°c at Munro Level, possibly +5°c if inversion conditions establish.

For Thursday and Friday, high pressure will be building in situ over Highland Scotland. Night frosts in the glens and sheltered corries, and hopeful for bluebird skies above any inversion layers, where these occur the stronger spring sun should see inversion mist break up and burn off. Generally around +4°c at Munro Level, but could reach +6 or even 7°c on some higher tops. Light and variable winds both days.

Saturday should be a similar day in the West, but perhaps a bit more cloud in the East as the high drifts a little allowing a light SE breeze in from the North Sea, here it may be a degree or two cooler, but likely similar temperatures to Thu / Fri in the West.

A dry Sunday with relatively light wind is more likely than not, but cloud amounts and where will vary depending on exact position of the high. Cooler and likely becoming cloudier, possible frontal snow moving into the West Coast mountains on Sunday evening / overnight.

:: Webcams and Weather Stations

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

GLENCOE: All mountain webcams online and the first updated images are shortly before 6am. Sledge Park camera streams overnight. The mid mountain weather station wind direction is not working, other data valid.