Avalanche warning issued in Cairngorms after heavy snowfall and strong winds

A “considerable” avalanche warning has been issued in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park.

The chance of snowslips has increased from low to moderate in the Northern Cairngorms for Wednesday, the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) confirmed.

In a statement, the SAIS said it was a “glorious sunny day” but with “avalanches likely”.

This period of increased hazard is due to end at 6pm on Wednesday.

The warning comes as the Met Office issued a yellow weather alert for ice across parts of the country.

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The Met Office said the alert means travel disruption is likely as icy patches on the roads cause issues for drivers.

Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders are all under the yellow warning which will end at 11am on Wednesday.

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service said: “Poorly bonded windslab is present but pretty much confined to just below coire rims and gully tops that face west, however it overlies a weak layer of weak grains and could be triggered on steep convex slopes 35 degrees or more.

“All change tomorrow with very strong Gale force winds developing and piling snow onto West through North to North east aspects – deep unstable windslab with avalanches likely here.”