Beinn a Chaorainn
20th January 2026
There’s some ‘weather’ in prospect! The Met Office are expressing some uncertainty over the amount of snowfall we’re likely to get at Creag Meagaidh. We could get quite a lot more than forecast. In the event of that those considering visiting our area may need to do a mental upwards recalibration of the hazard category. However, there’s no doubt it’s going to be quite stormy overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, albeit with a brief lull mid-morning. Anticipated freezing level will be at around 800m so there’s likely to be rain at lower levels.
The weather looks like deteriorating further Wednesday evening into Thursday for which the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning which just brushes up against Creag Meagaidh.
(Above) Profile of the East Ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn. quite misty all morning with soft, moist snow on all approaches to this popular route.
(Above) Rollerball debris in the coire to the S of the East Ridge. A number of days old. Most of it emanted from steep slopes and rocks below 850m.
(Above) The cornice line was intact above the mega-coire of Beinn a Chaorainn. It’s at about 1000m and hadn’t yet suffered prolonged exposure to somewhat milder temperatures – was freezing at around summit level today. However, some cornice debris was noted further east below Coire nan Gall – which is at about 900m – and had suffered more in the recent micro-thaw due to its lower altitude.
(Above) Looking East across to the main Creag Meagaidh massif. Good-looking snow cover on the plateau today.
(Above) Beinn a Chaorainn from afar after exiting the hill.
(Above) Telephoto shot of the East Ridge with evidence of the cornice line top left of centre.
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KEITH HORNER
20th January 2026 6:23 pm
The cornices in the ‘mega-coire’ must be of a considerable scale as they are clearly visible in your telephoto shot and likely to grow bigger with the expected snowfall and lowering freezing level over the next few days?
meagaidhadmin
20th January 2026 7:35 pm
Yep, expecting new, rapid and quite weak new cornice development but, given the SE wind direction, unlikely to see much if any new growth at B.a.C.. (The Beinn a Chaorainn cornices face East and will be facing almost windward for the next few days.) The quite distinct cornice line in Coire Ardair from Puist Coire Ardair eastwards is definitely expected to see significant new weak growth. Ditto the one that extends from the top of The Pipes to The Wand and Diadem in the Inner Coire.