This is the last forecasting day for the 2023/24 season. After 3 days of thawing conditions the temperature dropped yesterday evening to around the top of Ben Nevis and then dropped further through today. These cooler conditions are forecast to continue for a few days, with some fresh snow, so winter isn’t quite over yet. Unstable windslab will be present tomorrow mainly on North to East aspects. This will persist for a few days and South-East and South aspects will also be affected when the wind veers to the North-West. Photos below from Aonach Mor. The cloud base was around summit level in t ..read more

The post title says it all really. The cloud base was also low so not great conditions for taking photos of snow. The snowpack thaw continues and best snow cover is currently in high North to East facing corries. Cooler conditions are forecast for the next few days. A few photos below from Ben Nevis. The top of the Douglas boulder just visible here. The cloud base dropped further after I took this photo.   Cloud obscuring Coire na Ciste.   A dirty snow surface here after lots of thawing and strong winds blowing things around ..read more

It was a mild, dry day with gale force South-Westerly winds. The snow was thawing but stable in all locations. Some photos showing current snow cover below. Aonach Mor, East face.   Carn Dearg Meadhonach.   Snow melt!   The snowpack surface after rain and a big thaw ..read more

After a cooler night it turned milder with rain at all levels during the day. I chatted to a few climbers who reported that there was still some good ice high up on the Ben. However, with milder temperatures and a fair bit of rain forecast for the next few days that ice might not last very long, and will become prone to collapse. Still a few cornices remaining which will also be prone to collapse the net few days, but generally the snowpack is pretty well consolidated. Aonach Mor this morning. The snowpack had firmed up in the cooler overnight conditions. The cliffs of Ben Nevis at around 9 ..read more

It was mainly dry today but low cloud, particularly in the morning, gave poor visibility and a lack of good photo opportunities. There was less fresh snow in the area than the forecast had suggested and looking at the rain radar it appears that Lochaber was close to the edge of the band of precipitation and that areas further East there will have had more snow/rain. Conditions at 900 metres. Poor visibility, patchy older snow and a dusting of fresh snow. The visibility got worse as I went higher.   Lochaber was on the edge of the precipitation band and only got a dusting of fresh snow ..read more

After a windy night with some fresh snow above 900 metres it became dry and the wind dropped to give a pleasant afternoon. The freezing level rose to around summit height and the fresh snow was consolidating quickly. Photos below from Aonach Mor. It’s easy to see the difference between the fresh snow and older snow here.   Looking down Easy Gully.   Coire an Lochan looking South.   Carn Mor Dearg.   The Grey Corries ..read more

After a decent snowfall yesterday it’s all change today. The freezing level rose above the summits yesterday aftenoon with some rain in the late afternoon/evening followed by heavy rain around dawn. This has washed away most of yesterday’s fresh snow and debris was observed from a wet snow avalanche in Coire na Ciste. Very windy and mild today but a dry morning and a cloud base above the summits gave some good views of the remaining snow. Aonach Mor, Carn Dearg Meadhonach and Ben Nevis.   Q: Where has all the snow gone? A: It’s flowing down the Allt a’ Mhuilinn in the bottom right of t ..read more

It was a wild wintry morning in Lochaber.  Strong winds, heavy snow and cold temperature (summit around minus four). There was a lot of fresh snow which made it feel more like a day in January than in April (we could have done with a bit more of this weather back in January).  However, through the morning there was a significant change in the weather.  It got less windy and the wind swung round to the South, and the freezing level rose above the summits, and cloud level rose. It began to feel much more like April (if a rather soggy April).  Looking more like November than A ..read more

After some overnight snow and a cold night, it warmed up significantly through the morning. It was a mostly cloudy, although there was a few bright spells during which it felt like a very pleasant winter’s day. Tomorrow (and the weekend) are unfortunately not looking to be very pleasant winters days. Turning milder with some rain and strong winds. Although lovely clear calm winter day’s aren’t that common in Lochaber, there feels like there has been less than usual this winter. Will try and do some analysis of the winter’s weather data so far this season for tomorrow’s blog The temperature on ..read more

It was mainly dry today with a strong, gusty Easterly wind. Poor visibility on the tops so no photos of great views. There were 4 main types of snow conditions today. Soft, wet snow below 900 metres, quite a widespread breakable crust above 900 metres, some firm exposed old snow, and isolated, shallow patches of fresh windslab. Breakable crust in many places.   The old snowpack is firm and with crampons on gave much easier travelling conditions than the breakable crust.   Wet, patchy snow at 800 metres.   This Ptarmigan is changing to it’s summer plumage and not very well ..read more