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Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath Forecast

Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath

Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.

Friday's Forecast

Moderate breeze, fairly small impact
Heavy showers, snow and hail
Poor visibility
Cold
Winter kit required

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Click here to download the latest PDF Last Updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM Last Updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM
View our low-graphics version Last Updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM Last Updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM

Viewing Forecast For

Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 29th March 2024
Last updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM

Summary for all mountain areas

Centres of low pressure will circulate across Britain, bringing areas of rain (snow higher areas, particularly Scotland) which will gradually transition to heavy showers, and extensive fog to the mountains. It will remain cold. However, in Scotland, winds will be light.

Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath

Light wind, particularly morning. Fog many higher summits. Precipitation on and off.

How windy? (On the Munros)

Mostly south to southeasterly, in afternoon 20 or locally 25mph, but speeds low in morning, when almost windless on some summits.

Effect of the wind on you?

Fairly small.

How Wet?

Precipitation on and off; risk thunder

Pockets of drizzly precipitation (light snow above 500m) here and there morning. By afternoon the precipitation showery: hail, in places heavy. Small risk thunder.

Cloud on the hills?

Extensive, in places patches on lower slopes

Overall fog very extensive: fragments on lowest slopes, which could persist for a few hours particularly in precipitation. By afternoon, most cloud lifting to 650m; perhaps a few breaks above 900m (most likely N Cairngorms/Lochnagar).

Chance of cloud free Munros?

10%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Glimpses of sun developing. Visibility good for periods, but very poor in precipitation.

How Cold? (at 900m)

-1C; probably rising marginally during day.

Freezing Level

600 to 750m; may reach 1050m in places afternoon. Slight frost at dawn some valleys.

Viewing Forecast For

Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 30th March 2024
Last updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM

How windy? (On the Munros)

Southerly 15mph.

Effect of the wind on you?

Small

How Wet?

Heavy showers, mainly afternoon

Morning: isolated pockets rain (or snow above 450m) but; nearly all areas dry. From about midday: changing to heavier hail showers; in some areas precipitation possibly then be frequent.

Cloud on the hills?

Extensive at first; mostly lifting to or perhaps above higher summits

Very varied from dawn; some higher slopes cloud free, but most mountains foggy, in places from valleys up. Will change through morning as cloud base rises. From late morning, cloud base often above 900 to N Cairngorms 1200m, but lower in precipitation.

Chance of cloud free Munros?

Rising to 40% from midday

Sunshine and air clarity?

Bursts of sunshine and very good or excellent visibility. However, visibility abruptly very poor in precipitation, especially snow.

How Cold? (at 900m)

Around 0C after dawn before reaching 4C mid afternoon.

Freezing Level

700 to 900m, rising to above the summits. Frost in many glens at dawn.

Viewing Forecast For

Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 31st March 2024
Last updated Thu 28th Mar 24 at 6:00PM

How windy? (On the Munros)

Southeast or easterly 10 to 15mph.

Effect of the wind on you?

Mostly negligible

How Wet?

Isolated, if any showers

Risk of one or two hail flurries or showers in afternoon.

Cloud on the hills?

All or nearly all clearing

Patches of some higher slopes after dawn will very likely all clear before midday. Higher tops eastern Cairngorms NP may not clear or clear only briefly, before very low cloud envelops areas east of Braemar evening.

Chance of cloud free Munros?

70%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Patchwork of sunshine; later dull easternmost summits. Excellent or superb visibility.

How Cold? (at 900m)

2 rising to 5C.

Freezing Level

1200m, before rising above the summits, although in lowland and upland valleys widely frosty after dawn.

Planning Outlook

Overall the next week to 10 days will often be cloudy with rain from time to time particularly over England and Wales. However, after widespread hail showers on Saturday, few showers on Sunday (which will also be the warmest day nearly everywhere). Then largely dry Scotland and the Lake District until about Wednesday, but persistent very low cloud (in easterly winds) will shroud all but some western summits in fog. Rain (sometimes snow higher tops) will be more widespread throughout next week Pennines and across Wales.