Essential links for the main hill areas including top mountain weather forecast. Now past it...
We've resurrected our weekend links summary for the popular UK
hill areas. Simply select the mountains of your dreams then check out
the direct links for the latest specific forecasts from the main
weather sites on the web. Each link opens in a new window, so once
you've finished you can simply close that window and return to
OUTDOORSmagic for the next link.
Interesting point for this weekend, Online Weather's mountain
forecast suggests that there might be inversions - valleys in cloud,
peaks not - this weekend. Get a snap of one and mail it to us and
we'll see what we can do about a prize...
There are also links for web cams, conditions and avalanche
forecasts where available - if there's a site we've missed, let us
know and we'll add it to the next one.
Weekend 6/7 Jan 2001 - 2001• Where did
that come from then•
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Mountain Forecast
Online weather's brilliant new
mountain-specific
forecast is definitely the best
starting point on the web with an overall overview of the UK
plus detailed mountain area forecasts for both now and the
next three days complete with:
freezing levels, hill temperatures, wind,
cloudbase and visibility plus overall weather 'severity'
forecast
See specific areas below for links to the
relevant sections
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The National Forecasts
• Online
Weather's Mountain Forecast has a
general overview as well as specific forecasts for each area
- see below - says that an area of high pressure will
dominate for a few days. Right now the temperatures at 3000
feet are in the minus two and minus three degrees C region,
so it'll be freezing on the tops alright, but they say that
there's a band of cloudy stuff drifting around, but there
are good chances of inversions with the weather on the peaks
in areas like the Cairngorms being mild and sunny while it's
cold and cloudy below... Freezing levels at the weekend
forecast to be around 1500-2000 feet so if there's snow on
the tops, crampons and axe would be a sensible move.
Incidentally, they reckon Snowdonia's going to be bright and
sunny on Sunday, bucking the cloudy trend.
• The
Met Office reckons bright in the
west, cloudy in the east on Saturday and cloudy with sunny
spells on Sunday everywhere.
• Three-day
pressure analysis animation from
the Met Office clearly shows that high sitting over the UK
for the weekend, slowly moving east as time goes
on
• Online
Weather for Saturday genneral
foreacst says it'll be sunny spells in the west, cloudy in
the east, temps 3-4 degrees C at sea level (but sub-zero
higher up in places) Sunday
cloudy but with occasional sunny spells
everywhere.
• Ananova's
forecast says Saturday and Sunday
will be largely dry with good spells of wintry sunshine, but
feeling cold.
The Bottom Line Looks mainly dry
but cloudy in places, but if OnLine Weather are right, it
could be inversion city up the top, looking down on the
clouds. It may ne 3-4 degrees low down, but highre up it'll
be freezing and any wind will up the chill factor
considerably. Have a good one.
In Your Pack Or On Your Back
Water/windproofs, hat, gloves, gaiters if you're off
somewhere muddy... decent insulation layer, survival bag.
Crampons and axe if you're heading up where there's lying
snow or melt. According to the Scottish Avalanche
Information Service, avalanche forecast for Friday is
moderate pretty much everywhere except the southern
Cairngorms where it's 3 'considerable', Cairngorm plateau is
almost skiable. You should check the latest
forecast before heading
out.
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Climbing Updates If you have a
television handy, check out page 159 on ITV's teletext
service for their regularly updated climbing, er, updates
including temperatures on the tops and other more general
information.
The Scottish
Avalanche Information Service is
now running regular daily reports including climbing
condition forecasts and is currently - Friday - saying that
the avalanche forecast is generally considerable - but check
for specific areas - cornices building and freeze-thaw cycle
should be improving conditions.
WinterNet
Scotland is a useful source for
firsthand reports for some Scottish hill areas complete with
pictures plus links to web cams - check it out.
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