Bitterly Cold
9th March 2023
Yet another fine and cold day with plenty of sunshine. However, as the Easterly wind strengthened through the morning, the windchill was significant. The wind was strong enough to redistribute the existing unconsolidated snow onto wind sheltered lee aspects, where a rapid build up of unstable windslab was noted.
(Above) A panorama of the main Fannaich mountains with cloud hugging the summits of Sgurr Mor and Sgurr nan Clach Geala. Most snow cover remains shallow, unconsolidated and mostly lying on bare ground.
(Above) Spindrift at 600m. Snow began to be redistributed in relatively modest wind speeds due to the unconsolidated nature of the current snow cover, which is maintained by the very cold temperatures.
(Above) Wind erosion features – sastrugi quickly formed on wind exposed terrain.
(Above) And drifts of windslab formed on wind sheltered terrain, although largely localised in extent.
(Above) The North to East aspects of (L to R) Sgurr Mor (1110m.), Carn na Criche (961m.) and Sgurr nan Clach Geala (1093m.). Small cornices observed above steep SE aspect slopes at higher elevations.
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