Groundhog Day
8th January 2017
The mild and moist SW airflow continued today, producing banks of low cloud rolling over the tops along with pulses of drizzle and light rain. The depleted snowpack remains very patchy. I recorded 6.3 degrees centigrade at the summit of Beinn Liath Bheag, Fannaich (665m). Snow showers and gales forecast for tomorrow. At least it will be wintry.
This morning’s cloudy sunrise over Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich above Loch Broom.
Generally very little snow left in the Fannaichs.
Similar depleted snow cover on the Beinn Dearg mountains.
Dirty snow. Common feature on a melting snowpack. When this snow was originally deposited here (NE aspect) in the lee of the prevailing wind (from right to left in the photo), there would have been severe gales or storm force winds, generally from the SW, blowing dead vegetation off the exposed summit area up to the right. The storms we had over Christmas.
Old stalks and ‘flowers heads’ from the local vegetation – sedges, rushes and grass species. Bits of heather too.
Worried Ptarmigan! Hugging the snow patches in order to make their camouflage work.
Mist and drizzle rolled over the mountains for most of the day.
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Kathryn Grindrod
9th January 2017 4:42 pm
Your blog photo’s are always amazing thank you.