Snow's up! So here are the best web sites to check likely conditions on the hills.
Snow's up and it looks like the current
wintry conditions
are are set
in for a while - according to the Mountain Weather Information Service
it will be 'permanently sub-freezing on almost all upland areas for at
least another seven days or more - so here are the
best mountain weather web sites
to
help you keep in touch with current mountain conditions.
Mountain Weather
Information Service - www.mwis.org.uk
The
MWIS is part-financed by the Scottish government and carries excellent
mountain-specific forecasts for all the Scottish Highland areas,, the
Southern Uplands and the English Lake District on a daily basis. In
addition, MWIS also carries weekend forecasts for the Peak District and
Snowdonia.
The reports give a detailed forecast for the current day plus a similar
outlook for the next two days plus a general mountain prognosis. Wind
speeds, precipitation, temperatures and visibility are all covered.
You can find them on the web site or on internet-enabled
mobile phones in a more streamlined form.
Excellent forecasts compiled by mountain-savvy weather experts and
probably the best mountain report available.
Met Office
Mountain Forecasts - www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/
Another
excellent mountain resource, this time from the Met Office. The
forecasts cover the Highlands, Lakes, Dales, Peak, Snowdonia and the
Brecon Beacons in detail.
The forecasts include details of weather, visibility, precipitation,
windspeed and temperatures along with a colour coded hazard table
giving easy reference.
Generally more optimistic than the MWIS forecasts for some reason, they
cover the current day with a detailed next day prognosis plus a more
general outlook.
Lake District Weatherline
- www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/weatherline/
Weatherline
is produced by the Lake District National Park and carries a five-day
forecast for the Lakes from the Met Office - see above.
What makes it really valuable though, are the daily fell-top reports
from Helvellyn produced by a pair of expert assessors who walk from
Patterdale to the summit every day to produce excellent detailed
reports on snow conditions along with measurements from the summit and
advice on what equipment and clothing are needed for current
conditions.
A fantastic resource if you're heading out generally in the Lakes and
not just on Helvellyn. You can also access the reports by phone on 0844
846 2444.
Scottish Avalanche
Information Service - www.sais.gov.uk
Excellent
winter avalanche forecasts compiled for the main Scottish climbing
areas by a team of expert assessors who are out on the hill checking
snow conditions every day over winter.
The forecasts have been redesigned for this winter with a much clearer
graphical representation of avalanche hazards showing which slope
aspects are likely to be hazardous supplemented by a written overview.
The forecasts are available on the web, also as downloadable PDFs and
as texts direct to your mobile. You can also find them posted in local
Scottish car parks, outdoor shops and other relevant locations. A
brilliant resource for anyone heading out into the Scottish hills.
Each area also has its own blog where the observers can publish images
and make more detailed observations on snow conditions, again, well
worth a look.
OUTDOORSmagic Weather
Outlook - www.OUTDOORSmagic.com
Here on OM we carry a weekend mountain weather
outlook every Friday morning with links to and information from all the
mountain-specific weather sites and others. including our own mountain
web cam page.
In addition, don't forget that you can often get good firsthand
information on current conditions by asking on the OM forum and, of
course, from forums on other sites, particularly if you're looking for
detailed information on climbing conditions.
