After a warm and snowless month in Scotland, which saw existing snow cover melt away right up to the mountain summits, it has begun snowing again in Scotland today.
All five mountain resorts in the Scottish Highlands are reporting top to bottom snow today, but bases still need to build and strong winds and another wave or warm temperatures are on the horizon, possibly hampering progress.
"There's been heavy overnight snow which has the mountain looking white again. The snow has to keep falling over the next few days driven in on gale force winds so hopefully not long now until we can kick of the 2016/17 season," said a statement from Glencoe ski area.
Snow is indeed expected to keep falling down to quite low levels over the next 48 hours but Friday and Saturday should also see a visit by Hurricane Barbara with a Met Office amber alert for disruption particularly focused in the west. Winds of up to 90 mph in exposed places – such as mountain tops – are forecast.
Then on Christmas Day on Sunday Met Office forecasters currently say temperatures could go back up to double figures, although that may change as the day gets nearer.
The Lecht managed to open for two weekends in mid-November in between thaws, and Cairngorm on the second of those two weekends, otherwise there has been no lift-assisted skiing in Scotland this season so far.
Glenshee is pictured above earlier today.