On Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 9:57:09 PM UTC, Adam Lea wrote:
On 05/02/2017 20:22, Graham Easterling wrote:
Still not enough snow for skiing at Cairngorm.http://www.cairngormmountain.org/lifts-pistes/ They've only had sufficient snow on a handful (literally) of days this year. A bit here https://weather.com/en-GB/unitedking...otland-weather

They'll be keeping their fingers crossed for a good Easter.

Meanwhile, back in Cornwall a reasonable day with just a couple of brief showers & sunny spells, good visibility and much calmer sea conditions - especially on the south coast. Swell down to 6-8' even out at Sevenstones.

Around Marazion piles of weed washed up after the 1st big sea of the winter.

Graham
Penzance


It is interesting, that despite being around 4,000 ft asl, not very far
away from the Arctic circle, and having a polar tundra climate, weather
setups can happen which result in the Cairngorms lacking in snow cover
during what is supposed to be, climatologically, the coldest part of the
year. I have seen freezing levels over 9,000ft before at around this
time of year for a day or two but wasn't aware that during the whole
winter, the synoptic pattern could ever persistently be unfavourable for
snow at altitude at 58N. I suppose it is similar in a way to southern
counties having a Mediterranean-like summer such as 1976.

They've been really unlucky. When it has been rather cold, especially during block periods in the SE, Scotland has been in a mild SW. Demonstrated rather well here http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/...aries/anomacts (mean temperature 1981-2010 anomaly map). which shows +2.5C in parts of the highlands to -1.5C in Kent.

In a 'typical' (if there is such a thing) winter, their snow mostly falls in unstable W-NW conditions, rather than a blocked pattern in any case. (I hope Alan agrees - he's the resident Scottish climatic expert!) So the forthcoming cold weather doesn't look favourable to accumulating the snow they really need.

It may be strange for someone in snowless Cornwall, but I closely follow Scottish Ski conditions. It all started back in the late '60s with the beginning of real surfing and associated skateboarding & snowboarding - most of the early snowboarders were surfers 1st, still often the case. My dad made me a skateboard (it was the very early days, they were still expensive to buy) it had a scary wobble at a certain speed. For snowboarding we made do with waxing the bottom of the old wooden belly boards & dune surfing - which is very much discouraged on environmental grounds now. Once got 3 standing on 1 board, it all ended unfortunately due to a boulder.

Happy days

Graham
Penzance

The Cairngorms will get very little snow from an unstable WNW'ly as they are too far from the coast and also lie in the precipitation shadow of the NW Highlands. An unstable E or NE'ly is much better, if less common, but the main source of snow will be from frontal situations. Interestingly, both these latter two weather types are on offer over the next few days so I wouldn't be surprised to see sufficient skiable snow by the weekend.

Dick Lovett

On Monday, February 6, 2017 at 2:44:23 PM UTC, wrote:
The Cairngorms will get very little snow from an unstable WNW'ly as they are too far from the coast and also lie in the precipitation shadow of the NW Highlands. An unstable E or NE'ly is much better, if less common, but the main source of snow will be from frontal situations. Interestingly, both these latter two weather types are on offer over the next few days so I wouldn't be surprised to see sufficient skiable snow by the weekend.

Dick Lovett

Fair points as far as Cairngorm is concerned. I had a quick look at the GFS precipitation forecasts, Glenshee & Cairngorm look set to get some snow, if probably not particularly heavy.

Rather a more depressing continuing lack of snow forecast for Nevis & Glencoe, though forecasts are only forecasts, reality can be very different.

Meanwhile, in Cornwall it's very wet. http://magicseaweed.com/Live-Sennen-Webcam/65/

Graham
Penzance

SNIP

Rather a more depressing continuing lack of snow forecast for Nevis & Glencoe,

Forgot about tonight, when the higher runs could get a fair bit.

Graham