Our website uses cookies throughout our system and to help us provide a better service. Continue to use the site as normal if you're happy with this, or click here to change your settings

Winter mountain weather talk

Tuesday 25th September 2018, 3:31pm


Winter is on its way and, apart from the drop in temperature, we can expect to see the weather patterns changing.

But if you’ve ever wondered what’s going on in the sky up there, help is at hand.

Mountaineering Scotland in partnership with the Met Office will be presenting a winter mountain weather talk by a senior weather expert.

Everything you need to know about winter mountain weather, by Dr. Mike Reading,
Senior Operational Meteorologist, Met Office Aberdeen, will be explained at Craigdon Mountain Sports, The Pentland Outdoor Centre, 44 Biggar Rd, Edinburgh EH10 7BJ on Wednesday 12th December at 7.30pm.

Mike Reading has been working as a forecaster for the Met Office for over seven years, and in that time has worked in the Falklands forecasting for the RAF and in Antarctica forecasting for the British Antarctic Survey.

On a day to day basis he often produces the mountain forecasts for the Scottish Highlands and occasionally other areas, among a variety of other forecasts. In the winter months he provides the Scottish Avalanche Information Service with data and weather guidance to help them produce their avalanche forecasts.

Outside of work Mike is a keen climber and mountaineer with over 20 years’ experience clambering around the UK’s mountains and further afield, but with a particular interest in Scottish winter mountaineering. So he’s well aware when preparing a forecast of what’s important to his fellow mountaineers.

The lecture will start with a brief introduction to what causes the weather we get in the UK, along with the gen on how mountains modify the weather and what causes hazardous conditions. He’ll also explain how these effects change through the season from late autumn to spring and give a brief look at some past exceptional weather events.

Tickets for the talk must be booked in advance and cost £5 per person, with proceeds going to Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team.