Scotland weather: Red flag avalanche warning as mountain rescue team shares alarming photo of crack in Pentland Hills scotsman.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scotsman.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BBC News
Published
media captionBattle to clear drifting Highland snow
Thirty-two people have been rescued after vehicles became trapped overnight in snow on the A835 in the Highlands.
Highland Council and mountain rescuers assisted emergency services reaching the 22 vehicles at the scene at Loch Droma.
Police described it as a major incident , which came during heavy snowfalls across parts of Scotland.
Snow drifts of 2-3m (6-9ft) blocked the A835 between Ullapool and Garve.
Welfare centres were set up in Ullapool and Aultguish for those caught in the bad weather.
The road at the scene was reopened just after 14:00, but Traffic Scotland warned driving conditions were tricky due to the weather.
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“It’s the best conditions I have seen in Scotland,” said Euan Baxter of Snowsport Scotland.
Skiers enjoying the conditions which have been described as the best in the last decade picture: supplied
The 40-year-old, from Aviemore, has been regularly climbing Cairn Gorm – which reaches 1,245m – to get his skiing fix.
Without chair lifts to help him up, the keen snow sportsman has done one week where he topped 5,000m ascent in total hiking up the mountain on his skis.
“There’s normally a road, called ‘Ski Road’, which you can use to drive from Glenmore by Loch Morlich - about 330m - to the Cairngorm Mountain Base Station which is at 635m,” Euan said.
Bird Song of the Day
At the suggestion of SomeGuyinAZ, the White-throated Sparrow.
#COVID19
At reader request, I’ve added this daily chart from 91-DIVOC. The data is the Johns Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site.
Nate SIlver makes the same call [lambert preens]:
Interesting chart: We re now vaccinating more people (1st doses) than there are new infections. However, caseloads are still VERY high (higher than at any point pre-November).https://t.co/Qxu8rSPoV1pic.twitter.com/UU3F0B5Szq
But see caveats below!
Lambert here: Well, I said “If these declines continue through the end of the week, I’m gonna have to conclude we’re looking at a genuine fall in the numbers not the current narrative, I might add and that we are not looking at a reporting effect from the long weekend.” So I have to conclude we’re looking at a genuine fall in the numbers.
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Mr Wright urged a word of caution to any off-piste walkers and cross country skiers who have been using the Pentlands – and other hills – of late to exercise, although acknowledged they tend to be well equipped and understand the risks.
He said: “Even a half metre of snow falling towards you can knock you off your feet and if you bang your head and lose consciousness, there is a realistic chance it could be a life threatening situation.”
Mr Wright described it as an unusual sight but highlighted that avalanches can form anywhere in the UK - not just Scotland - where there is a slope with an angle of more than 30 degrees and “significant snowfall.”