A weather rollercoaster ride.
20th January 2024
The cold settled conditions of earlier this week are not over, and we look to be into a bit of a roller coater ride in terms of weather as numerous low pressure systems are blow in by a string jet stream. A summary of the forecast is; mild this evening, cool later in the night and through the Sunday morning, mild Sunday evening, cool though Monday, mild on Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning, cooler Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, mild Thursday, cooler on Friday. Windy with showers and periods of rain/snow throughout.
While this weather will result less than pleasant mountain conditions for much of the week, it should be pretty good for building ice and improving the climbing conditions at higher levels. It should also improve snow cover at higher levels. The rapidly changing weather will also lead to rapidly changing avalanche conditions, with the hazard going up and down quite a lot. As ever will try and keep up updated to what is happening,
Looking down Easy Gully early on when visibility was poor. Was there any avalanche debris down there? Probably some, but I just couldn’t see in these conditions.
A bit of contrast as I started to head down. The temperature was above freezing (just), but things remain well rimed up at higher levels. This might change tomorrow.
Looking down to the Braveheart chair. Coire Dubh is starting to fill in.
It did clearly briefly to allow a good view over the Grey Coires.
Natural cracking in the snowpack, an indication of poor stability (shovel for scale). This crack likely occurred at some point overnight.
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