It’s nearly mid-February and half-term holidays are coming up. Visit Scotland is keen to highlight the Scottish Snowsport resorts, not just for their ski slopes, but also for other outdoor activities. The weather forecast for Scotland includes a lot of dry weather and it won’t be as windy. Decent snowfall however is absent. A weather front is forecast to wave in off the Atlantic on Wednesday but that looks to be just more cloud and patchy rain along the west coast.
The weather is not going to provide a dump of fresh, deep snow, let’s clear that up to start with. Scotland has been quite mild and just been windy, seemingly for months. It’s actually been southern Britain that’s felt more like winter recently with endless frosty mornings and temperatures down to -8C.
This has been due to high pressure lurking nearby and keeping the winds light, the weather steady and allowing the cold to develop under clear nights. It was back in mid-January when many northern areas saw overnight, or Monday morning, snowfall. Recently, northern parts of the UK have stayed at the edge of high pressure and seen Atlantic lows skirting past. This has brought some precipitation but not good amounts of snow.
These frontal systems continue to bring more cloud but there have been many sunny, fine days, especially for eastern Scotland and it has been mild. The high pressure builds northwards this weekend and holds for next week. This allows the settled, dry weather to develop and will lessen the wild winds. The flow is from the south or west, so it won't feel especially cold remembering it is mid-February.
You may have seen media headlines shrieking about blizzards and 'Beast from the East' like snow. Read the details beyond the headlines carefully and remember for the coming week we have stubborn high pressure close to or over the UK. This brings a lot of dry weather and no sign of a very cold flow from Russia.
As the winds become lighter, there will be clear spells allowing temperatures overnight to fall just below freezing for the Scottish mountains. Not a hard frost or widespread ice. By day, temperatures in Aviemore will be around 9 or 10C and feel mild in any sunshine. To the lee of high ground, there will be good breaks in the cloud. Western Scotland will have more cloud to the start the week. Fort William will also stay around 9 or 10C with grey skies and occasional dampness.
Check with each resort daily for their snow reports and lift status
GLENCOE Established in 1956, Glencoe Mountain, Highland is Scotland's oldest snow sports centre. The views from the Meall a' Bhuiridh Massif are outstanding, and you'll also find the UK's steepest black run, the 'Flypaper', here. There are eight lifts serving 20 runs, a base area and mid-mountain café and a free sledging area. It is under two hours from Glasgow by car.
GLENSHEE Spread over four mountains and three valleys, Glenshee, Aberdeenshire is the UK's largest snowsports area. It is located between Blairgowrie and Braemar and two hours from Glasgow or Edinburgh. Twenty-two lifts take skiers and boarders up to 3,500 feet and there are three cafés. “Happy Valley, Main Basin and Spring Run expected to provide some good skiing on the upper mountain.”
Glenshee - A.Kelly
NEVIS RANGE Snowsports at Nevis Range, near Fort William take place high on the slopes of Aonach Mor - the UK's eighth highest mountain. It’s not just skiing and snowboarding, there are always hiking and walks along with lower forest bike trails. This centre is home to the UK's only mountain gondola. Thirty-two runs are accessed by 11 lifts and two cafés. 1.5 hours drive down the A82 from Inverness, 2 hours 40 from Glasgow by car and there is a direct train to Fort William, with a connecting bus.
LECHT Small and perfectly formed, The Lecht 2090, Moray Speyside is accessed via one of the UK's highest roads running between Cockbridge and Tomintoul and there are 13 lifts. It is 1.5 hours drive straight west from Aberdeen.
CAIRNGORM MOUNTAIN is near Aviemore in Grampian. Inverness is about an hour up the A9. Glasgow or Edinburgh are about 2 hours 45 mins drive and the train takes a similar amount of time. There are 12 lifts and 32 runs, two mountain cafés and the Funicular Railway is now back running again. “The pistes have set firm with freh snow on top. The beginners’ area at the Base has soft Snowfactory snow and is in good condition.” Feb 10th
The main plus point with the weather over the next week is that it won’t be as windy as it has been for Scotland for far too long. However, the lack of new snow is disappointing. If your half-term break is the week after, then high pressure is still lurking around, over or to the south of the UK. Even if there isn't a dump of fresh snow, the larger resorts do have a selection of activities, there is beautiful scenery with the lure of a cuppa, warm soup and cake.
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