Scottish weather discussion - Spring 2023/24

[Hairy Celt]

A dismal smear of grey skitters this morning, currently being hosed away. 1C.

Cat says, 'when are you lighting the stove today, now or very soon?' Me: 'On it, boss!'

Edited December 23, 2023 by Hairy Celt

[Halfamilefromnowhere]

Heavy snow starting to edge sleety but decent 3 and half inches

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Daylight shot before it begins to thaw. Quite a bit more than I imagined, and very picture-sque!

[Northern Strath]

As with others about two to 3 inches of snow cover here, which is now getting rained on. Ach well, cools again a bitty for Christmas Day and the following week by the looks 

[Norrance]

1 hour ago, Ravelin said:

@TillyS Sadly even the Lecht scenes are likely to turn browner again as that front pushes further East, such are the vagaries of the Scottish weather. Hopefully after Xmas the temp will stay cold enough that even if we don't get low level snow, the ski resorts can get, and keep, some.

Can't remember the exact winter, but not that long ago we had one where it was frequent cold rain at low levels but the hills got plastered. At Glenshee they had to dig out some of the pomma lines, it was that deep. Only time I can remember being towed uphill through a virtually head height channel of dug out snow. 

2015. temps that Winter were +1C above average but with no really warm spells so snow built up at height. Average temps the following year were exactly the same but it was very poor on the mountains and ski resorts because of the larger temperature swings leading to big thaws at times.

Here today the worst of both worlds with cold rain at 3C

 

[Snowandrocks]

The warm air hasn't quite reached the Lecht yet with the temperature currently just over freezing but it's pretty sleety and miserable stuff falling from the sky! 

Can see a lot of the afternoon being spent in the cafe drinking tea! 

[skifreak]

A9 very snowy looking at the Ord of Caithness. There used to be a ski tow south of the Ord around Lothmore, nothing very sophisticated a nut cracker rope tow driven by an old motorbike that was ridden up the hill for winter to drive the rope! 

immediate edit - A9 snow gates now closed at Helmsdale and Berriedale, also A9 closed around Golspie.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by skifreak

[snowidea]

11 degrees and wet here in Falkirk, about to drag the dog round the trails (he hates rain) then settling down for some Christmas film viewing. Grown up son is up from Devon and has suggested a film called RRR which apparently is so bad it's good. Happy Christmas all. 

[Northernlights]

Rain of the moderate kind here washing slushy snow away slowly at 3c. Worst underfoot conditions of winter so far with ditches and streams bank topping and lochs of water in the fields.  Going to need a couple of dry days to let all this water drain away .

[lorenzo]

Another drookit day in Costa del Central Belt, and the fitbaw got rained off grrrr so that meant having to do actual stuff vs lazing about... !

 

Things perhaps brewing / stirring on the 12z though.. January ought to be more fun that December

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by lorenzo

[Norrance]

The temperature has risen from 4C a couple of hours ago to 9.5C now. I take it that the warmer air has arrived. Still damp tho.

[Ravelin]

Temperature here is still only 0.5C, which means there's still a fair bit of snow lying despite it having turned to rain for most of the daylight hours. Real soggy mess though, would rather it just went, and last thing I'd want would be for it to freeze up. 

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Aye, the temperature contrasts have been nuts. The difference between the Lecht and cairngorm cams highlighted this starkly. Cairngorm was pishin cauld rain on heather, while it was tanking it doon wi snaw turning everything white at the Lecht. 

1 C here. Snaw melting, but not very fast as per Ravelin. 

[Halfamilefromnowhere]

Same here very slow that although everything very soggy, temperature forecast to be around 7C by now still stuck at 0.4C and still raining although tad lighter.

[Big Gally]

[Snowandrocks]

59 minutes ago, Scottish-Irish Skier said:

Aye, the temperature contrasts have been nuts. The difference between the Lecht and cairngorm cams highlighted this starkly. Cairngorm was pishin cauld rain on heather, while it was tanking it doon wi snaw turning everything white at the Lecht. 

1 C here. Snaw melting, but not very fast as per Ravelin. 

Was actually a pretty decent afternoon at the Lecht for teaching a beginner - just the little runs in front of the cafe open but full cover of soft grippy snow, no queues and almost no wind with initial sleety snow giving way to mostly dry with just the odd spell of drizzle. 

Back home to a good covering of very wet snow - still cold at 1c and I noticed the stars when I went out to the bin a while ago. Could be very icy if there's a touch of frost.

[Hairy Celt]

Temp up to 9C now from 1C earlier. It rained all day, stopped a couple of hours ago. There's condensation on the outside of the porch windows which is very unusual - the opposite of usual! The change is so dramatic.

[TillyS]

12 hours ago, Scottish-Irish Skier said:

Aye, the temperature contrasts have been nuts. The difference between the Lecht and cairngorm cams highlighted this starkly. Cairngorm was pishin cauld rain on heather, while it was tanking it doon wi snaw turning everything white at the Lecht. 

1 C here. Snaw melting, but not very fast as per Ravelin. 

They said on the BBC forecast that it was 10C at Braemar and 1C at Balmoral, just 10 miles away. Nuts indeed!

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Might get lucky in Carrbridge. Heading over there tae ma folks hoose for Chrimbo shortly.

[Dundeeguy]

Very blustery today, Tay road bridge closed to high sided vehicles 

[Sceptical]

Impressive group of nacreous clouds.

 

[Northern Strath]

Yes, wonderful display of nacreous clouds this morning 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by Northern Strath

[Ravelin]

Temperature rose rapidly from around 9pm yesterday evening to hit a high of 9.1C overnight, but has now dropped off a bit to 7.5C. Most of yesterday's snow has now gone as expected , but surprisingly some small remnants remain. Very little cloud around so far this morning, but pretty windy. 

I think some of us will manage a 'technical' white Xmas tomorrow , with some falling snow. Not likely to be much settles though. 

Edit: Nacreous clouds visible here too, but can't get decent photo due to position of the sun in relation to them. 

Edit 2: Managed it...

Edited December 24, 2023 by Ravelin

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Looking pretty seasonal over the festive period. Ski centres could have a chance of starting to build a base.

[johncam]

Yep hopefully,  though ECM ain't great going forward