 Poster: A snowHead
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Snow and up to 165mph winds recorded on Cairngorm (137mph on Aonach Mor - ie Nevis Range). What is this doing to the lovely new snow in Scotland ( I had previously seen 40cm on upper slopes and 10cm on lower slopes mentioned for Nevis Range, and a bit less in the East).
http://www.wave965.com/news/videos/scotland-shut-down-by-snow-and-165mph-gusts-16125967/
I should think the front of Nevis range should be either stripped or turned to an ice crust- though perhaps there could be some deposition on the back (wind slab?). I don't know enough about the other centres but the wind seems to be from the West and the main Cairngorm slopes face about North West don't they?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Winterhighland AWS at Car Park level at Glencoe recorded 105mph shortly before it went off-line (power cut to that building). That was before the worst of the wind hit Glencoe, no wonder there were HGV's scattered around Rannoch Moor, hardly a road sign left up there either apparently !!
Goodness only knows what the wind was like higher up on Meall a' Bhuiridh. The whole area around that part of Lochaber remains without power, reconnection for the Ski Area is expected on Saturday afternoon. The Ski Area has no phones, no ADSL and no mobile network coverage at present either.
The substantial log lift shack with the controls for the Access Chairlift at the foot of the chair has been completely demolished, chunks of concrete from the foundations that one person can't lift were found in the car park. Even the electricity meter was stripped from the end of the cable and vanished with the wind!! Over 200 separate wires had to be sorted out and reconnected to the lift controls during Friday, staff getting the Access Chair spinning for a time after dark this evening. There are chairs with bashed safety bars from the force they were impacting the haul rope, though the Access Chair somehow didn't derail at all. When it was possible to have the Access 2200 webcam under manual control, chairs were seen lying ontop of the haul rope and swinging so far above the haul rope as to pretty much defy belief.
Further up the hill at the top of the Access, the Plateau Poma lift shack is well... *gone*. 2 new huts should arrive on site at first light on Saturday. The Cliffhanger drive station is minus it's roof - was not seen today despite scouring the ski area for it apparently !! Further up, the Rescue Station at 2800ft which houses controls and electrics for the upper tows is undamaged as apparently are the ski club huts. The hut at the top of the Main Basin T-bar was already damaged by the October Storm which blew down the SSC hut anemometer, but no further damage occurred to that building thankfully, but as it wasn't weather tight the chances of the Summit webcam equipment having survived the week seems slim.
Back to the AWS at the bottom which recorded the 105mph gust, the building it's on which is the main office building at the top of the car park apparently partially collapsed later in the day, no idea how bad it is.
However, there's more snow on the mountain than any time last season! The upline sheaves of the Plateau Poma are about head height on a couple of towers and providing the electricity comes back on during Saturday, Glencoe will open for the Season on Sunday.
^Goose Quad Chair - Nevis Range on Thursday morning, before the worst of the storm hit the Highlands.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Winterhighland,  !!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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They must have worked like Trojans to get it all sorted out for this weekend - brilliant effort. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well said Pam. 
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Yes, a terrific effort, I hope they get an epic season for their troubles.
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