Quite good aerial video from Ian Cameron - last weekend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kok_o6oJbXo

Doesnt look the patch on the Spring Run webcam in Glencoe will last for much longer now

http://www.winterhighland.info/cams/glencoe/index.php#ssc

2014 will have a good go at devouring those snow patches. 

I will be pleased if some survive.  Though I understand its going to get wet...

New snow this morning on the high Cairngorms. Also a skiff on Ben Nevis.

No, it is too early/mild for that at the moment. It will have "protected" some of the remaining snow patches for a while anyway.

Here's the current view from the Ptarmigan building webcam at Cairngorm (not far from the location of the piste sign photo in the BBC article)

http://www.cairngormmountain.org/webcams/live/ptarmigan1.jpg

The Times reporting 'over 300' snow patches surviving the summer - the most since record keeping began (though alas it doesn't say when that was) and by a large margin, the previous best being 89.

The earlier dusting from this week has gone, so have a couple of the old patches that have survived all year that were visible on the north faces from Aviemore.

aye - i remember reading somewhere that "glaciers" are now making a return to scotland - such is the volume of retained snow.  Yes they would be tiny, compared to say the Mont Blanc glacier.   But the ingredients to make them return are all there - continual compacted layers several yrs in the making.

Although new glaciers might be some time in the making?.

Something that might be of interest?.

Scottish glaciers | Current activities | Our research | British ...

A rather apples oranges comparison by The Times. I think the snow patch survival definition is 'until the winter's first lasting snow' and we could be just a few weeks or two months away from that time - I don't think 'surviving the summer' is a series that is document.

Kind of, but they will have got the figures from one of the semi-official surveys which clearly found far more patches than in any previous survey.

http://www.winterhighland.info/forum/read.php?2,160696,page=32

What is interesting is that milder weather created conditions potentially able to create more widespread snow persisting and conceivably - were it to continue - early stages of glaciation.
This is all rather counter intuitive.

In other words, surely total area would trump number of patches?

This has been debated before and those responsible decided to stick with the numbers of patches as being the measure. I suppose that it is difficult enough to get there and measure the patches, never mind working out the area covered. The strange result is that snow patch numbers may actually increase during the season as one may break up into several patches.

Meanwhile the mild weather is hitting the marginal patches just now though there should be a colder interlude during the week.

The last snow in Glencoe melted last week I believe. Nothing particularly wintry forecast in the next couple of weeks so no sign of the lasting snow arriving for a while. If I remember correctly it came to the high Cairngorms in early October last year and a couple of weeks later to the Nevis area.

An update from Winterhighland today estimates that there are 35 snow patches left now in the Highlands from last Winter. Heavy snow showers on a strong NW wind for a couple of days mid week should helps hem last a while longer. If anything like 30 survive it will be the most since 2000 when 39 made it through to the following Winter.

The continuing generally mild and wet weather has caused a lot of damage to the remaining snow and IMO those patches out with the high Cairngorms and Nevis ranges look doomed. (CReag Meagaidh, Carn Na Caim and Gheal Charn). The more marginal patches in the higher ranges are suffering too in this spell which looks like continuing for some time. 

It would be ironic if having survived the warm Spring and (most) Summer that they melt in late October / November when they could reasonably expect the next Season's lasting snow to arrive. It should still be the highest number of survivals since 2000 though.

Edit. Looks like I was wrong about the non-usual area mountains. Creag Meagaidh is apparently lasting well and of a decent size and a cert to survive. Carn Na Caim however is going fast. No recent reports from the third area at Geall Charn though it too was melting quickly when last vsiited.

A fresh dusting this morning

http://www.cairngormmountain.org/webcams/live/ptarmigan1.jpg

More snow this morning on The Cairngorms

http://www.cairngormmountain.org/webcams/live/ptarmigan1.jpg