Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Saturday's Forecast
Sunshine and showers
A mixed weather day, with rain on and off, briefly heavy, but mixed with periods of sunshine.
Poor visibility
Very murky conditions, the mountains shrouded in fog, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Mild
Air temperature above freezing to highest summits. May feel pleasantly warm on lower ground, but take appropriate layers. Feeling chilly if exposed to wind.
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Sunshine and showers
A mixed weather day, with rain on and off, briefly heavy, but mixed with periods of sunshine.
Poor visibility
Very murky conditions, the mountains shrouded in fog, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Mild
Air temperature above freezing to highest summits. May feel pleasantly warm on lower ground, but take appropriate layers. Feeling chilly if exposed to wind.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 4th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A broad and very slack area of low pressure will edge north bringing extensive low cloud and areas of drizzle, with again bursts of heavy, perhaps locally thundery rain, developing into Scotland. Best breaks in cloud and sun in the northwest Highlands, and clearer, brighter conditions developing for southern Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Low cloud extensive with local drizzle. Heavy showers may develop. Gusty AM.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly, variable speeds 10 to 25mph in morning. Will ease and become more variable from south in afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in morning which may affect comfortable walking on tops mostly in north. Small into afternoon.
How Wet?
Local drizzle, risk heavy showers forming.
Drizzly if in hill fog, especially toward east. Risk localised bursts of rain forming almost anywhere. During the afternoon, greater risk of scattered heavy and possibly thundery bursts developing, mostly in the west.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive low cloud
Blanket fog from mid or some lower slopes upward, particularly eastern Cairngorms NP. Covering most higher areas all day, highest cloud bases toward A9, breaks mainly for Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%, rising to 30% west of A9.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little if any weak sun. General haze, murkier south and eastern hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C, coolest in east.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 5th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Under a very slack cyclonic pattern, winds will vary markedly 5-10mph, at times calm. In and around showers, risk 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small to negligible often through the day. Risk of sudden gusts within the vicinity of any heavy showers.
How Wet?
Drizzle, developing to heavy showers.
Pockets of drizzle and patchy rain from dawn here and there. Within an unstable environment, will develop into heavy showers with the risk of thunderstorms.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, local breaks as bases slowly rise.
Within a humid environment, expect extensive hill fog through the day. Lowest bases in morning, before slow rise as convection builds, with local breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little or no sun. Hazy, and for periods in the morning murky.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C, warmest towards and into afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 6th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Winds remaining slack and variable, 5 to 10mph or a times calm. Scope however, for sudden gusts of 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small, but scope for local sudden gusts of in and around any heavy, perhaps thundery, showers.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, then thundery showers.
Patches of rain here and there in morning, but some areas dry. Will break up into heavy downpours and scattered thunderstorms into the afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, some local breaks
Low cloud very likely widespread from dawn with banks from lower slopes. Slow rise in base, will allow some breaks, but these filling in again in the downpours.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast with rare glimpses of sun. Hazy, with rather murky conditions, may improve to become good at times, away from rain when visibility will be poor.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Slow-moving weather patterns continue through the Bank Holiday weekend as a weak zone of low pressure dominates over the British Isles. There will remain uncertainty of local day-to-day detail, but most likely the wind often light and temperatures generally mild, but less warm than midweek in western Scotland. Sunday into Monday, will see varied zones of heavy showers forming, local thunderstorms, but some places escaping often dry with the best sunny breaks for coastal areas as the convection builds inland. High pressure then tends to build from the west into midweek to bring a fair amount of dry weather, although rain bearing fronts may return to the northwest at times.