Government Funds Mountain Weather Forecasts

Great news from Scotland where the Scottish Government has announced that it is to provide funding to support the Mountain Weather Information Service run by Geoff Monk.

The future of the excellent mountain forecasts which cover five major Scottish areas all-week and the Lakes, Peak and North Wales at weekends, was in called into doubt this week due to lack of funding, but thankfully Sportscotland will now be investing £36,000 per annum in the service over the next three years.

Sport Minister, Stewart Maxwell said:

"Thousands of climbers already rely on the Mountain Weather Information Service for accurate information about conditions on Scotland's mountains.

"It is therefore absolutely vital we have a reliable mountain weather service to reassure walkers they have the best information at their fingertips."

The decision was welcomed by Roger Wild, the Mountain Safety Adviser for the Mountaineering Council of Scotland who commented:

"This will be the first publicly-funded comprehensive mountain weather forecast service for outdoor users in Scotland and it will be a major resource in promoting the safety and enjoyment of all who go into the outdoors."

This is fantastic news for walkers and climbers both north and south of the border and recognition of the fantastic work that MWIS has been doing since 2004. You can find the MWIS at www.mwis.org.uk where the latest mountain weather forecasts are available as downloadable PDFs.

News release from the Scottish Executive at www.scotland.gov.uk