North Grampian Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for Tuesday. Low for Wednesday with large uncertainty in northern and western extent of any snow. High for strong winds on Thursday, but low for timing of rain clearing. High confidence for a change to colder showery conditions Friday and Saturday, but low for details.
This evening forecast
Severe southerly gales across the tops. A dry cloudy start in the east. Rain and low cloud soon spreads into western ranges, spreading across all ranges through the evening. Freezing level well above the summits.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
Severe Chill Effect
Poor Visibility
Gales
Mountain weather forecast
Rain and low cloud to start. Turning drier by the afternoon. Cold and windy.
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
||||||||
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
80% | 80% | 60% | 50% | 30% | 20% | 20% | 10% |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
S
48
|
S
44
|
SW
41
|
W
32
|
W
27
|
NW
23
|
NW
13
|
W
6
|
900m |
S
53
|
S
44
|
SW
36
|
W
25
|
W
23
|
W
18
|
W
9
|
NW
4
|
600m |
S
34
|
S
29
|
SW
24
|
W
18
|
W
18
|
W
14
|
W
6
|
N
3
|
300m |
S
19
|
S
17
|
SW
13
|
W
10
|
W
12
|
W
10
|
NW
4
|
NE
2
|
Glen |
S
6
|
S
6
|
SW
6
|
W
6
|
W
7
|
W
6
|
W
3
|
W
3
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m | 61 | 58 | 53 | 41 | 35 | 30 | 17 | 7 |
900m | 62 | 53 | 44 | 32 | 29 | 24 | 12 | 5 |
600m | 45 | 38 | 32 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 9 | 4 |
300m | 41 | 37 | 29 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 9 | 4 |
Glen | 29 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 6 |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
1°
|
1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
900m |
5°
|
5°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
0°
|
600m |
7°
|
7°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
300m |
8°
|
9°
|
7°
|
7°
|
7°
|
7°
|
5°
|
4°
|
Glen |
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
8°
|
9°
|
9°
|
6°
|
4°
|
Freezing Level |
1,800m
|
1,700m
|
1,300m
|
1,100m
|
800m
|
800m
|
700m
|
700m
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1300m |
-9°
|
-8°
|
-9°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-9°
|
-7°
|
900m |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
-2°
|
600m |
1°
|
2°
|
0°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
300m |
5°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
Glen |
7°
|
7°
|
6°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Note the lowering freezing levels with remaining snow patches likely to become hard and icy.
Weather
Rain and southerly summit gales in the early hours, turning to snow above munro level soon after dawn as winds turn westerly and ease slightly. Rain and snow turn to showers through the morning. Snow lowering to around 700m towards midday, but showers turning light and increasingly well scattered. Cloudy but mostly dry in the afternoon and evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20-30% in the morning, 60% in the afternoon.
Low cloud and visibility
Very poor visibility in rain and extensive cloud above 600m early hours and to start the day. Cloud bases gradually rising through the morning, often above the summits in the afternoon, but lowering to 1100m at times.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Low cloud with a few light snow flurries, rain below 700m through the early hours. A chance of more persistent snow, rain below 700m, spreading north from dawn, most likely across the Cairngorms, before gradually clearing to the east later in the day. Western ranges towards Ben Alder and Creag Meagaidh more likely to be dry with some sunny spells. Dry and overcast in the evening, winds increasing overnight.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
30% in the east, 70% in the west.
Maximum wind speed expected
Northerly becoming Westerly 5 to 10 mph. Becoming south or southwest 20 gusting 30 mph late evening.
Temperature
- At 800m Zero Celsius, rising to plus 3 Celsius, falling to zero Celsius in the evening.
- Glen Plus 2 Celsius, rising to 8 Celsius.
- Freezing level Around 800-900m, perhaps rising to 1100m in the afternoon.
Low cloud and visibility
Generally very good visibility across western ranges once any early morning cloud above 600m lifts, with summits cloud free. A chance that low cloud persists across the Cairngorms for much of the day.
Mountain weather information
Thu 21 Mar
Cloudy with southwesterly severe gales and outbreaks of rain, clearing later in the day. Freezing level 1000m, quickly rising well above the summits. Falling to 1000m again evening.
Fri 22 Mar
West or northwest gales with scattered showers, falling as snow to increasingly lower levels, and giving a risk of thunder. Showers most frequent across western ranges. Freezing level 800m falling to 400m.
Sat 23 Mar
Cold, with strong north or northwest winds. Heavy wintry showers, most likely turning drier with winds easing later.
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.
For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service