
North Grampian Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for turning colder with stronger winds midweek, bringing some wintry precipitation together with a significant windchill to higher summits. Turning more settled over the weekend. Lower confidence for the rainfall timings on Wednesday and Thursday.
This evening forecast
After a few early evening showers, conditions will become dry with clear spells for a time. The wind will strengthen and cloud will begin to thicken towards midnight.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
Gales
Poor Visibility
Strong Sunlight
Severe Chill Effect
Mountain weather forecast
Cold and windy with widespread rain then showers becoming drier and brighter towards evening.
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
40% | 40% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 40% |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
SW
23
|
S
30
|
S
33
|
SW
34
|
W
36
|
W
39
|
W
37
|
W
35
|
900m |
SW
21
|
S
29
|
S
33
|
SW
33
|
W
32
|
W
34
|
W
30
|
W
28
|
600m |
SW
14
|
S
19
|
S
23
|
SW
23
|
W
25
|
W
25
|
W
21
|
W
19
|
300m |
SW
6
|
S
10
|
S
13
|
SW
14
|
W
17
|
W
17
|
W
14
|
W
11
|
Glen |
SW
3
|
S
3
|
SW
5
|
SW
7
|
W
9
|
W
9
|
W
7
|
W
5
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m | 30 | 39 | 44 | 46 | 51 | 54 | 51 | 48 |
900m | 27 | 37 | 43 | 42 | 44 | 47 | 42 | 39 |
600m | 20 | 26 | 32 | 32 | 37 | 38 | 34 | 30 |
300m | 17 | 23 | 30 | 29 | 35 | 34 | 30 | 25 |
Glen | 16 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 22 |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
0°
|
-2°
|
900m |
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
5°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
2°
|
600m |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
8°
|
9°
|
8°
|
6°
|
4°
|
300m |
7°
|
8°
|
8°
|
10°
|
12°
|
11°
|
9°
|
7°
|
Glen |
7°
|
7°
|
8°
|
11°
|
14°
|
12°
|
10°
|
8°
|
Freezing Level |
1,300m
|
1,400m
|
1,600m
|
1,800m
|
1,500m
|
1,400m
|
1,200m
|
1,100m
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
-7°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
-6°
|
-9°
|
-10°
|
900m |
-2°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-3°
|
-5°
|
600m |
2°
|
1°
|
2°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
2°
|
-1°
|
300m |
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
8°
|
9°
|
8°
|
6°
|
3°
|
Glen |
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
9°
|
11°
|
10°
|
8°
|
5°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Feeling chilly on the summits with southwesterly winds reaching gale force.
Weather
Overcast skies and widespread rain as a front moves east across the Cairngorms in the early morning. This rain will turn showery and heavy at times during the morning becoming blustery in strong westerly winds on the hills during the afternoon, gales likely. Showers turn to sleet on higher summits by late afternoon before dying out as clear spells develop in the evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
40% increasing to 60% as low cloud associated with morning rain lifts and clears from late afternoon.
Low cloud and visibility
Broken low cloud in the morning with bases 4-500m. During the afternoon and evening cloud bases will rise above most summits with patches of low cloud around 6-700m. Moderate visibility in rain may turn poor in heavier showers. Later in the day visibility will become very good with some fine late evening conditions.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Showers will be interspersed with bright spells throughout the day. These showers will be locally heavy in the afternoon and fall as snow on the Munro tops. Westerly gales will continue and it will feel bitterly cold
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
60%
Maximum wind speed expected
West or southwesterly 40-50mph with gusts 70-80mph.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 1 rising to 4 Celsius.
- Glen Plus 7 rising to 10 Celsius.
- Freezing level 1000m.
Low cloud and visibility
Broken cloud with bases around 6-700m in the morning will gradually rise above summits by the afternoon with patches of low cloud associated with showers at 7-800m. The visibility will be moderate in showers but poor in heavier falls becoming good between showers.
Mountain weather information
Fri 27 May
Continuing blustery showers with a risk of thunder and a slight risk of hail in strong northwesterly winds. Showers ease and bright spells increase as the wind eases from Friday afternoon.
Sat 28 May
Mainly dry with a risk of the occasional light shower in moderate northwesterly winds.
Sun 29 May
Bright or sunny spells with occasional showers building in moderate northerly winds.
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
Includes the northern and western Cairngorms National Park, Monadhliath, Ben Alder, Creag Meagaidh, Loch Ericht and Loch Rannoch.
The North Grampian mountain weather forecast area includes much of the Cairngorms National Park which boasts five of the UK's six highest mountains and includes the largest areas of land in the UK above 2000 and 3000 feet. The Cairngorm Plateau is well-known for its extreme and very changeable weather (the strongest gust ever recorded in the UK was 173mph on Cairngorm Summit on 20th March 1986). Despite the challenging conditions, there is a diverse range of wildlife in the area including golden eagles, snow bunting and ptarmigan.
Creag Meagaidh, to the north of Glen Spean, is where the east Highlands meet the west Highlands and is often exposed to bad weather from either direction. It is a popular area for ice climbing thanks to its vast plateau which includes five Munros (Scottish mountains over 3000 feet).
Ben Alder lies just to the west of Loch Ericht and is one of the remotest of the Munros. Approaches are long from all directions with options including a long walk or cycle from Dalwhinnie to the northeast or by taking a train to the very remote Corrour Station and walking in from the southwest.
For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service