Early Warning on MetCheck:- [www.metcheck.com]

Forecasters Warning

-- Wintry Conditions --

Areas Affected: The UK - Especially Northern Britain

A cold and wintry Easter period is currently expected for many parts of the UK. An area of low pressure will sweep down across all parts of the country during Thursday, increasingly cold conditions in association with northerly winds will then develop across all parts of the country by Good Friday and into the Easter weekend.

Early indications are that Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of Northern England are at greatest risk of seeing some snow, accumulations are expected especially over higher ground. Other parts of the UK are at risk, but specific details remain uncertain at this early stage. Frosts are expected by night and of which may be locally severe.

Anyone planning on travelling later this week and over the Easter weekend should stay tuned for further updates which will follow as the week progresses.

from [www.metoffice.gov.uk]

Risk of disruption Warning Valid
UK regions: Central, Tayside & Fife
Grampian
Highlands & Eilean Siar
Blizzards & Heavy Snow Fri 21 Mar
There is a moderate risk of a severe event affecting parts of Northern and Eastern Scotland. There is a potential for heavy snow to fall in these areas, especially over higher ground where strong winds may also lead to blizzard conditions. The risk increases during the second part of the day as colder air spreads southwards.

Issued at: 1112 Mon 17 Mar





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.09hrs Mon 17 Mar 08 by gregh.

MWIS-

"A bitterly cold Easter Weekend on all mountains, with persistent northerly winds bringing
sub-freezing temperatures to at times very low levels. Snow showers will fall widely,
especially frequent on mountains exposed to the sea to the north, and there is the risk of
one or two troughs bringing regions of more widespread snow on Sunday or Monday."



go slide....

Looks like the West is going to be the winner again. Nevis & Coe both due to gain good amounts over the next 2-5 days. It could snow starting from tomorrow morning at Glencoe till Saturday.

Balance seems to have shifted from East to West in last 24hrs. - As long as it lands somewhere in Scottish hills...and not out at sea!.

EDIT:- MetCheck Warning has been updated today....note "growing confidence" below.

Forecasters Warning

-- Wintry Conditions --

Areas Affected: The UK - Especially Northern Britain

This an update to the previously issued Weather Watch on Mon 17th March 08.

There continues to be GROWING CONFIDENCE that the Easter period will be dominated by a late blast of winter. A low pressure is expected to sink southwards across all parts of the UK during Thursday, it is behind this that increasingly cold conditions will arrive from the north.

As with yesterday the signal remains for Scotland and parts of Eastern England to be at the greatest threat of seeing some snowfall, accumulations continue to be expected especially over higher ground but not exclusively so. Some harsh frosts are possible by night. Specific details remain uncertain and the situation will continue to be monitored as we approach the Easter weekend.




Edited 1 times. Last edit at 11.54hrs Tue 18 Mar 08 by HTH.

I'm liking the mwis outlook:


"Hail and snow showers all day;
very frequent on and areas north
of the Cairngorms – there may
well be sustained blizzards
/whiteout toward the Lecht area."



maybe a good chance that this weekends weather could even out the east/west divide? i'm hoping the west catches some fresh too!



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 18.04hrs Wed 19 Mar 08 by Johan.

I think the east should do quite well this weekend, esp Fri and Sat, with perhaps more for the west later in the weekend. However winds may well be a problem. Milder for a time next week but signs of more snow esp for the west later in the week.

Andy

Ukweatherworld Manager
MBA Newsletter Editor

Just keeping the kettle boiling with this updated Warning:-

Forecasters Warning

-- Wintry Conditions --

Areas Affected: The UK - Especially Northern & Eastern Britain

This is an upgrade to the previously issued Weather Watch on Wed 19th March 08.

There is now moderate to high confidence that some significant snowfall accumulations are expected across Scotland and parts of Northern England initially.

Showers will begin to turn wintry across Scotland overnight and into Friday and these will then spread southwards during the day into Northern England and perhaps the East Midlands and East Anglia later. Further wintry showers are then expected for many into Saturday, some temporary accumulations are possible at lower levels but above 200 to 250m a general 4 to 8cm of snow is possible across Scotland and Northern England.

There is a growing risk of a more prolonged spell of rain, sleet and snow spreading southwards across parts of Central and Western Scotland and England later in the day on Saturday and overnight into Easter Sunday.

With the winds coming from a northerly direction is there likely to be any resorts open tomorrow? If so which ones. We need to make our minds up tonight ideally as people are travelling up from down south

What is the wind meant to be like on sunday and monday?

This is a GUESS but I think: Nevis - possibly open, maybe only front of mountain +/- summit/warrens/chair. Braveheart in serious doubt.
Glencoe - probably open (at least they will make an early decision & not mess about). Might be too windy. I think the winds may worsen later in the west so early doors might be the best of the day.
Cairngorm - probably open if they managed to open today, might depend more on the access road being clearable. Probably the worst of the weather in the morning. I expect plenty of wind and snow - vis poor everywhere.
Glenshee & Lecht - closed (hopefully cos the road is blocked c snow, not lack of the white stuff). Glenshee might be blocked, then open late morning, much better chance than the Lecht of opening something. Everywhere winds slowly easing & OK Sun/Mon, maybe even some sunshine Monday? Even saturday looks better than 24hrs ago although still as windy as Mr Methane. Thats based on the noon updates & I just checked MWIS latest which still predicts the worst blizzards over the Lecht tomorrow & 70-75 mph gusts everywhere at some point. Don't blame me if everywheres closed, I'm planning on Monday, maybe Sunday.

How much snow for Cairngorm/ Lecht/ Glenshee between now and Tuesday? Minimum of 20-30 cm, maximum of 1 metre I would say (although obviously these are theoretical depths because you can't actually measure anything).

ColinG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How much snow for Cairngorm/ Lecht/ Glenshee
> between now and Tuesday? Minimum of 20-30 cm,
> maximum of 1 metre I would say (although obviously
> these are theoretical depths because you can't
> actually measure anything).


remember the wind...its all in the wind and the fence lines, esp on a Northerly (Cairngorm doesnt do too well from memory, I am sure Alan will give more detail)

fri/sat 28th & 29th heavy snow followed by sun/mon bluebird days

flugeryl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fri/sat 28th & 29th heavy snow followed by
> sun/mon bluebird days
>
> Alitis Nivis Tabulae






go slide....

Northerly isn't great for CairnGorm, but the Daylodge could do all right. The snow that is on the M2 will be refreezing so wont blow away, so we could be in with a shout at getting that route back to the bottom again. Also wouldn't take much at all to stick to fill in the breaks in the sketchy bottom 100yards of the FRP track. If it's a true Northerly rather than NW'ly then the M1 might not do to badly. However not much usually sticks in the Top Basin in strong Northerlies, so up there could be fairly bombproof until the wind eases down.

The Zig Zags should in theory improve also. Going to be one of those sit back wait and see spells. A cool Southerly before any milder spell would be perfect early next week!!



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