•England Club Fields

•Mountain Weather

•Mountain Forecast Discussion

•Webcams and Weather Stations

Glenshee and the Lecht opened main terrain tows for the first time this season on Thursday, overall the Northern side of the Cairngorms has more snow, but Sunnyside and Butcharts Access Poma now open at Glenshee. The A93 and A939 open at update.

LIMITED TICKETS: With lots of snow at low levels in the news, there is huge demand but with only the Eastern areas open and still comparatively limited uplift capacity available so far, demand is outstripping supply at CairnGorm and the Lecht. Keep checking sites for any additional releases, though this is unlikely for Sunday due to forecast high winds.

If you have been out on slopes please send photos to the email at the foot of this page!

The snow that fell over the Eastern Highlands on Wednesday and overnight cleared away by dawn to give a bluebird Thursday for CairnGorm and the first day of main runs being open at the Lecht.

With light winds the clearing skies were reflected by an overnight low just a shade off -17°c in Roughpark in Strathdon. Minus 15°c was reported on sections of the A93 from Braemar on Thursday morning also. With light winds this evening, there is a potential that somewhere could go lower tonight, and take extra care on the roads as there could be spots where the air temperature is considerably below the point that rock salt is effective!

CairnGorm having caught the most snow over the past 48 hours is now virtually ride anywhere on the upper mountain, the Top Basin is in great condition for longer green terrain and there was lots of stuff seeing action mid mountain for more advanced skiers and boarders. The East Lady and White Lady were seeing action, but while the White Lady is fairly grassy below, the East Lady is mainly a boulderfield and there is no consolidated base! Various routes to Daylodge level now viable and the M2 / Daylodge run is also officially now open. Top to Daylodge riding giving 1700ft of vertical. With the M1 Poma now operational quicker mid mountain laps now possible. See pix from Thursday for more info.

The Lecht finally was able to offer some main run terrain for the first time this season, after a longer delay than hoped due to early morning drifting undoing some of the previous days digging! The fenced runs that are available and groomed have machine packed powdery snow, and surface conditions are excellent for getting the legs into the swing of things.

Both the Lecht and CairnGorm have both their beginner magic carpets operating and are offering great conditions for learning the basics on.

Glenshee has not seen as much snow as the Northern Cairngorms, but machines have been dozing out drifts to get some longer tows open for the first time this season, with a Sunnyside Poma and Butcharts Access Poma making their season debuts on Thursday.

With Nevis Range shut and not enough snow for main lifts at Glencoe, the only action in the West is beginner lessons and the Sledge Park at Glencoe. However, there is a possibility of significant snow late Saturday evening into Sunday for Glencoe. 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, last chair up at 3.45pm and last chair down at 4pm. Snowsports lessons are taking place for beginners on snow at the Plateau Cafe.

Given the widespread media coverage of low level snow, demand is at its early season maximum, but uplift/resort capacity is not, thus at present snowsport tickets are limited and both CairnGorm and the Lecht have sold out the allocation made available through Fri, Sat and Sun. Depending on opening more uplift, more tickets may become available, but there is no guarantee of being able to purchase walk up tickets. While the forecast is not nailed on, very strong SE winds look likely for Sunday, Storm or potentially Hurricane Force for CairnGorm. While the Lecht will not see as high speeds, SE winds are prone to funnelling through the Lecht Pass. As well as wind impacts on uplift, significant drifting could make the East Coast Access Roads impassable, depending on freezing level, more about that in the weather discussion below.

If you are wanting to go for a weekend slide and do not yet have a ticket, it is a gamble waiting to see if more Lecht or CairnGorm tickets become available vs buying at Glenshee ticket while they are still available. There is always the option of buying a season ticket of course!

:: England Club Fields

The three Pennine Clubfields all enjoyed a November start to their season, with Allenheads and Weardale notching up the first lift-served UK snow turns of the season.

Until now there has only been a light covering of snow at Yad Moss, Weardale and Raise, b insufficient for any snowsports. The Pennine Club Fields are on the edge of the Met Office warnings for Storm Goretti and with the ground frozen it would not take much more snow to allow weekend skiing on Saturday.

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 8pm in the West at the Glencoe SSC hut at 850m the mid mountain temperature was -3.9°c, wind variable 4 gusting 6mph. At Base level (366m) it was -1.8°c.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting -5.4°c. The Met Office station was reporting a North Easterly breeze at 9 gusting 11mph. No data from the CIC Hut. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was -5°c.

In the East the CairnGorm the Met Office Summit AWS reported -4.8°c with a variable breeze at a mean of 13 gusting 16mph. Aviemore was at 4.7°c at 8pm.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS (3061ft /934m) reported -4.4°c with a SE wind at a mean of 4 gusting 6mph.

:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

A bluebird Thursday in the Northern Cairngorms, a bit more variable towards Glenshee, but a chance to enjoy the recent snowfall across the Eastern Areas. More cloud, but also some fresh snow around for Friday, with Saturday shaping up to be the best day of the weekend, with the Lecht potentially seeing the clearest skies on Saturday.

Unfortunately for weekend skiers, strong SE winds are set to blow up Saturday evening into Sunday, however this could be a good thing for the season ahead on CairnGorm. There are substantial deposits of loose snow on the Plateau and SE aspects to redistribute into the snowsports area and the natural snowfields that form the classic runs on CairnGorm.

Friday looks likely to see light and variable winds in the West Highlands and light becoming moderate ESE winds in the Eastern mountains, best of any brightness towards the West, while some further snow showers for the Cairngorms. Of the Eastern ski areas, probably the Lecht is favoured for brighter / sunny spells now the breeze is expected to be a bit South of East rather than ENE to NE. Winds 15 to 25mph in the East. Between -3 to -5°c at Munro Level.

Saturday should see moderate South to SE winds, becoming strong in the Northern Cairngorms and Nevis Range mountains later in the afternoon. Mainly overcast with snow flurries in the Southern Cairngorms, while further North and West should be dry with bright or hazy sunny spells. The best of the overhead and least wind in the morning, so the early bird will get the best of it on CairnGorm. Freezing Level should stay below the lower slopes, expecting -3 to -4°c at Munro Level.

The arrival time of heavy frontal snow from the South for Sunday is somewhat uncertain, but the trend has been for it to arrive earlier than previously thought, from Saturday evening to the early hours of Sunday. This will be accompanied by strengthening SE Gales, giving blizzard conditions. Glenshee and Glencoe are projected to see the most snow from this event, while the Northern Cairngorms and Nevis Range mountains will see the strongest winds. There is also a risk of driving freezing rain developing.

In the East the Northern Cairngorms could have significant blowing snow as SE winds ramp up. Around -2 to -3°c at Munro Level, perhaps still -4°c towards the West and NW, but this is not a guarantee that precipitation will stay as snow. SE winds are now projected to be Hurricane Force on and immediately downslope of the Cairngorm Plateau on Sunday. Mean speeds 75 to 80mph with gusts exceeding 100mph.
Unless the forecast changes further, it is looking rather like a potential write off for lift served snowsports on Sunday at CairnGorm, unless lower surface tows can run for access. Risk that it could also be too windy for the main tows at the Lecht also.

:: 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 after 8am. The mid mountain weather station wind vane failed due to nearby lightning. Windspeed and other parameters are OK.