Cold and clear
9th February 2021
Covid -19
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service issues information to support permitted activity under current Scottish Government guidance.
Please be aware of current mandatory travel restrictions in Local Authority areas within Scotland and respect local communities by referring to Scottish Government guidance and safe route choices for exercise. For further guidance please refer to the following information for hillwalkers and climbers and snowsports on ski and board.
This blog is intended to provide hazard and mountain condition information to help plan safer mountain trips.
It was another very cold day with moderate Easterly winds. Lots of sunshine made things feel a bit warmer than the thermometer was suggesting. Some pictures below showing the effects of the recent very strong winds on the snow.
Fragile cornices above a gully on a South-East aspect at around 450 metres.
Large volumes of snow deposited in a sheltered location and then partially eroded by strong winds at around 450 metres.
Wind erosion. The snowpack on this East aspect has an icy crust on it with softer snow below. On most of the slope the icy crust has resisted the attempts of the very strong winds over the last week to erode it but once the wind has removed a small part of the crust it can then remove the softer snow below with the unsupported crust then more easily eroded by the wind. These strange shapes in the snow, which look a bit like small slab avalanches but with no debris, are what’s left.
Slioch from the South-East.
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Kenny
12th February 2021 11:53 am
Superb photos- particularly those of the snow pack- its great and helpful to see them alongside your narrative . Many thanks