November 2009 Conditions Reports

30th November 2009

The ground got a very good freeze over the last couple of days with persistent sub-zero conditions and hard frosts in the glens. I'm running a Summer ML Training Course this week and very cold and snowy conditions are not what I need just now! Still, in the sunshine on the low hills around Aberfoyle today it was very pleasant, especially as there was virtually no wind. We did an introduction to navigation on Creag Innich with fantastic views all around the Trossachs and over to the snow covered Crianlarich hills of Ben Mor and An Caisteal.

28th November 2009

A beautiful day today with the freezing level well down and plenty of snow above 800m. Plenty of people were out climbing things like Ledge Route and Tower Ridge, wading through the soft snow. There are also some reasonable cornices above the big gullies. In the Cairngorms, more routes have been climbed over the last few days. The ground underneath is not yet fully frozen but it is cooling down. Don't expect turf to be frozen or blocks to be frozen in place, however it is cold enough for the snow to stay around for a while. It will stay cold for another few days and with windy, cloudy weather forecast we will also get some rime building up on the rocks and freeze the ground some more.

25th November 2009
The freezing level has been going up and down like a yo-yo over the last week. A big thaw with heavy rain last Friday turned to snow again on the tops on Sunday. This week has been the same with rapid thaw freeze cycles. Just now it's gone cold again with snow down to 700m and ferocious winds battering everything down to sea level. It's returning polar maritime air hitting the west coast. Despite coming from the south west the air is cold and wet as started originated from the north pole and came down over the north atlantic before swinging around the depression onto Scotland. The depression is forecast to stay to the north of Scotland for the rest of the week meaning it will steadily get colder. This kind of wild, windy and snowy weather has deposited huge accumulations of snow on Ben Nevis in the run up to the last two winters. Fingers crossed it will do it again now.

18th November 2009

For over two weeks now we have had snow sitting on the highest tops - Aonach Mor, Aonach Beag, Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis. The freezing level has been fluctuating between 1000m to 1400m meaning this snow has been through many thaw freeze cycles. You can follow actual summit temperatures here with data from 1130m on Aonach Mor. So, it's been a very promising start to the winter. The ground is cooling down very well, we are getting some snow transformed and frozen into place in the gullies (Number Four Gully has a reasonable cover already) and there is even a little ice forming. Tomorrow we'll see a big storm with heavy rain, gales and summit temperatures around +8C which will take away the current snow sitting down to 650m. However the general trend is good, let's hope it stays that way.

8th November 2009

It's been a lovely weekend with sunshine on the snow on the tops of the hills, low temperatures and very light winds. We need a continuous spell of low summit temperatures, before it snows too much, to cool down the hills. If it snows too much too soon it will just melt away very quickly. As ever it is a waiting game and a bit of patience goes a long way. The big ridges are good just now such as the Aonach Eagach, CMD Arete and Ledge Route but the steeper faces are not rimed up at all or frozen properly so the harder mixed climbing isn't great at the moment. To build up rime you need sub-zero temperatures, cloud and a wind blowing onto the crags. The calm and cloud free weather at the moment is not going to form any rime but it will be starting to freeze the crags ready for the next stormy weather.

5th November 2009

More sunshine today and very light winds made it an excellent day to go around the CMD Arete. Gary did just that and sent through these excellent pictures. The Autumn can bring be a bit hit or miss with the weather but you do get some wonderful days out in the hills.

4th November 2009

A good layer of snow is lying on the hills around Fort William down to 850m with sunshine making it sparkle!