•Glencoe Sledge Park

•England Club Fields

•Mountain Weather

•Mountain Forecast Discussion

•Webcams and Weather Stations

The only lift served riding on Sunday was from the Funicular on CairnGorm during the afternoon. Part of the reason the wind did not let up in the West was the frequency of intense convective snow showers, there has been another 8 to 10cm of new snow at Glencoe since a snap thaw/freeze cycle at dawn.

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

Further overnight snow at Glencoe was followed by a snap thaw/freeze cycle through the dawn period on Sunday where the freezing level rose just above the summit of Meall a Bhuiridh, before the temperature quickly fell back around 2°c, before gradually lowering further through the day.

Behind the occluding frontal systems heavy convective snow showers rattled in, at times clusters of them merging together to give intermittent blizzard conditions on the mountain. Around 8 to 10cm of snow has fallen in high winds since the freezing level came back down after the snap thaw / freeze cycle which brought some consolidation to the recent snow. Total snowfall over the past few days at Glencoe is now somewhere between 36 and 44cm at height, but this has nearly all fallen in fairly strong winds with significant drifting.

Saturday saw Glencoe able to reopen all the Plateau lifts and the fenced Plateau runs and particularly the natural snowfield of Old Mugs Alley has continued to catch drifting snow through Sunday. Wind permitting all uplift other than the Wall T-bar can operate, and even the Wall T-bar uptrack is beginning to fill in for the first time this season (earlier season snow having all come from the wrong direction for it).

So Monday morning presents a gamble, there is the potential for some great freshies to be had before a longer milder blip moves in Monday evening into Tuesday, but the forecasts range from the wind being only slightly less than today to being actually a bit worse. So no guarantees uplift will be able to run at Glencoe, but Monday morning will be the last chance to get at the new snow while it is still fresh!

The Plateau area was mostly baseless, so on Saturday it was more classic early season than spring conditions here with some thin / narrow areas, but the snap thaw / freeze cycle on Sunday morning has consolidated what was there on Saturday then added more drifting snow on top.

CairnGorm was able to offer top station to mid station riding from the Funicular on Sunday afternoon, with a mix of green / blue terrain via the Traverse and Coire Cas runs, and for more experienced riders red terrain on the White Lady which remains wide and deep. Wind speeds did not relent enough to allow the Top Basin tows to run, but the Top Basin also retains good cover. There is a sizeable terrain park in the Ptarmigan Bowl, but this may require some work after the storms pass, but a period of settled weather is expected later in the week.

Wind also prevented the chairs from running at Glenshee on Sunday, which meant no access to get out to Meall Odhar. More strong winds are forecast Monday and Tuesday, with Tuesday being milder, so whether any viable uptracks / links remain for providing lift served riding on Meall Odhar will need to be assessed as and when the wind is low enough for the Sunnyside Chair.

Nevis Range is closed for lift served snowsports, however the SAIS reported great skiing on the Summit and Goose Gully on Friday for those prepared to put in the leg work.

Weather permitting, CairnGorm is the best option for novices and snowplough turners, but as the suitable terrain is now limited to the Top Basin, that makes it weather dependent and there is very little chance of the Top Basin being open before Wednesday! For slightly more confident snowplough turners the green terrain on the Plateau at Glencoe is back in play and will be less exposed than the Top Basin at CairnGorm, but wind speeds are marginal for the Access Chair on Monday and currently uplift looks unlikely on Tuesday.

:: 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 -2.7°c, with the wind at 26 gusting 61mph. At the Top of the Access (671m) it was -1.3°c. At Base level (366m) it was +1.3°c.

The SAIS summit AWS on Aonach Mor was reporting -5.1°c. The Met Office station was reporting a SW wind at 27 gusting 55mph. At the CIC Hut (680m) it was -1.9°c. At Tulloch Station (237m) the temperature was +1.2°c.

In the East the summit weather stations on CairnGorm reported -5.3°c, with a Storm Force Westerly at a mean of 55 gusting 76mph. At Aviemore the temperature at 6pm was +1.7°c.

The Met Office Cairnwell AWS reported -2.9°c with a Westerly at a mean of 43 gusting 65mph.

:: Mountain Forecast Discussion

Monday starts off in a similar theme to Sunday, though cloud cover will probably be more stubborn in the East with less chance of brighter spells. Around -2°c at Munro Level, lowering -3°c in heavier bursts of snow, but then the freezing level tends to rise to or above the summits towards or post dusk. Risk of a period of freezing rain before Munro Level temperature lifts above freezing.

Initially Westerly wind will be around 40 gusting 60mph, with higher gusts in the Northern Cairngorms and Nevis Range, before a slide easing to 30 gusting 40 to 45mph as wind backs SW. Later wind will back further towards the South and speeds will ramp back up, particularly on Northern downslopes around the Cairngorm Plateau and in the Nevis Range.

Currently expecting a very poor mountain day on Tuesday with Severe Gale or Storm Force SW wind, with early rain to all levels, before a slight drop in temperature brings high level snow showers for the afternoon / evening, before these die out as pressure begins to rise..

Early indications are for a decent day on Wednesday with winds easing back substantially as pressure begins to rise. Decent sunny spells developing, with zero to -1°c at Munro Level.

High pressure then looks to be in control centered just to the North of or over Highland Scotland as Northern Blocking becomes established, expect bluebird days to end the week above any potential inversion mist, but with a strengthening spring sun, even where that occurs it should tend to burn off / break up by day. Night frosts possible in the glens, but temp may stay above freezing overnight on the tops.

Should be some superb spring snow riding that gets better day by day on CairnGorm and Glencoe, hopefully at Glenshee too if links to Meall Odhar hold up through the first part of the week.

:: 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.