The dedicated regional weather forecasting service Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) is set to continue. Representatives from the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCoS), MWIS and the Met Office met in Edinburgh on 8 December to come to this agreement.

Set up four years ago, the independent MWIS run by Geoff Monk, has been used by thousands of climbers and walkers each year.  A disagreement over the future of the service had arisen as the Met Office as reported by the BBC suggested they could provide the same service from the funding available. 

Now it has been agreed that the Met Office will continue to produce its forecasts highlighting main hazards while MWIS will provide its own detailed forecasts.

While the MCofS is pleased that both services will continue in the meantime, they are still encouraging mountain users to write to the minister responsible, Patricia Ferguson MSP, in support of the need for a properly structured mountain weather forecast for the Scottish mountains.

Please write to:
Patricia Ferguson MSP
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

You can read a full update from the Mountaineering Council of Scotland on the MCoS website. 

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