Mountain weather

North Grampian

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North Grampian Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for changeable conditions, and for some wet weather edging in on Wednesday and also towards the end of the week, but low regarding timings and amounts of rain Friday into Saturday and the snow level.

This evening forecast

Sunrise:
Sunset:

A dry evening with some clear intervals, though cloud will lower enough for some hill fog in the west. A strong southwesterly breeze on the tops increasing to gale force

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.

hazard Gales
Gale force winds (gusts over 50mph) make walking difficult and strenuous with a potential to be blown over by gusts. There is often a marked increase in winds through cols or on exposed ridges and summits. Distances can take longer to cover and compass bearings become harder to follow accurately.

hazard Severe chill effect
Wind significantly lowers the ‘feels-like’ temperature relative to the actual temperature, with even moderate winds significantly adding to the chilling effect. Strong winds can result in a severe and debilitating wind chill many degrees below the actual temperature. This effect will be enhanced in rain or wet snow. Without protection, prolonged exposure could result in frost nip or frostbite on exposed parts of the body and/or hypothermia.
hazard Poor visibility
Poor visibility presents challenging route finding conditions. Visibility could be significantly less than 50 metres in all directions with few or no visual references, especially on featureless moors or plateaux. Distances become hard to judge and cliff or cornice edges can be difficult to recognise. These conditions require good navigational skills. There is a risk of white-out conditions when mist or fog is combined with extensive snow cover.
Mountain hazards explained

Mountain weather forecast

Cloudier, some patchy rain, but the east of the area brightening up. Windy with gales on the tops.

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level

Altitude above mean sea level

Altitude above mean sea level

Additional weather information

Weather

A lot of dry weather but a little patchy light rain is expected, especially in the north in the morning. Some sunny intervals should break through around Strathdon and the Lecht in the afternoon.

Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 800m

70% in the east with some breaks and cloud broken and mainly above 900m, but 30% or less further west with more extensive cloud at 750-900m, this persistent over western Munro tops.

Visibility

Mostly good or very good away from where cloud sits on the hills, with only slight reductions in light rain.

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Summit gusts may be around 60 mph with a high wind chill developing.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Mainly dry until mid afternoon, though mainly cloudy with some hill fog, best of the brightness over the Lecht and Cromdale. A band of rain will reach Ben Alder and Creag Meagaidh towards mid afternoon, this edging only slowly eastwards across the rest of the area during the evening, though weakening with little if any reaching sheltered areas of the north. Hill fog will become more extensive though. Starting to clear in the west by midnight

Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 800m

40% with some upslope cloud above 900m then falling 20% or less later as bases lower in rain.

Maximum wind speed expected

South to southwesterly winds increasing to 50 gusts 70mph.

Temperature

  • At 800m Plus 4 Celsius rising to Plus 6 Celsius in the afternoon.
  • Glen Plus 7 Celsius at dawn rising to Plus 11 in the afternoon, then dropping to 9 by midnight.
  • Freezing level Above the summits, though not far above in the morning.

Visibility

Very good until the rain starts then falling moderate to poor.

Mountain weather information

Thursday 24 October

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Often cloudy with a few bright or sunny intervals. There will be a few light showers in the morning, wintry on the Munros, then from mid afternoon some heavier showers. Showers easing in the evening but likely to turn to snow above 900m. Strong southwesterly winds.

Friday 25 October

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Sunny intervals and a few showers, wintry on the Munros, in the morning. Then cloud thickening in the afternoon to bring outbreaks of rain during the afternoon this becoming heavy and persistent, preceded by snow above 900m, and accompanied by extensive hill fog and southwesterly gales.

Saturday 26 October

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Low confidence. Likely to remain cloudy with further spells of heavy rain, with summit snow possible, though it may clear from the northwest at some point during the day.

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

Includes the North and West Cairngorms National Park, Monadhliath, Ben Alder, Creag Meagaidh, Loch Ericht and Loch Rannoch.

The North Grampian region includes a large part of the Cairngorm National Park and the Balmoral Estate, the Scottish home of the Royal family since 1852. Five of the UK's six highest mountains lie inside Cairngorm National park, and there are 55 Munros (mountains over 3,000 ft). You will also find three of Scotland’s five ski centres including the Glenshee Ski Centre, the largest in the UK. The centre extends across four mountains, Glas Maol the largest at 1,068 metres and Carn Aosda the smallest at 917 metres, and includes 36 different ski runs.

Most people agree that Creag Meagaidh in Glen Spean is where the east highlands meet the west highlands. It is also this location which provides one of the area's most popular activities - ice climbing. This is thanks to its vast plateau from which five Munros (that seem almost made for climbing) stretch out. Seeing as plenty is on offer for visitors and it is crammed in a relatively small area, it should come as no surprise that the Creag Meagaidh area has been praised as offering all that is good about the Highlands in a single nature reserve.

For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service

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