Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today's Forecast
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 19th March 2024
Last updated
Mon 18th Mar 24 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Upland gales for the Highlands in the morning will ease. Early heavy bursts of rain clearing eastwards to leave often drier conditions. Variable cloud amounts, most persistent over western mountains, but lifting with some breaks forming.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales easing. Early showers fade.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, soon veering westerly, 35 to 50mph, strongest in the morning, later dropping to 20mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for arduous, or for a time difficult conditions, with significant wind chill. Improving during the day.
How Wet?
Showers, then mostly dry.
A band of showery at times heavy and squally rain will move through in the morning. Then mostly dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering upper slopes in rain.
Cloud bases varying, but in morning rain they will often cover upper slopes in fog. As trough clears, most of the cloud will lift off the hills in the afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% morning, 80% afternoon.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy morning, sunny periods in the afternoon. Visibility poor in morning rain, but becoming very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C, dropping to 1C into afternoon. Wind chill feeling as cold as -10C where directly in strongest winds in morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits morning, then lowering to 1000m in the afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 20th March 2024
Last updated
Mon 18th Mar 24 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly or variable 5-10mph or less. May well pick up from west later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small
How Wet?
Early snow flurries fading.
A few snow flurries here and there, but these tending to fade away as a ridge moves in from the west.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud banks, lifting and clearing.
Patches or banks of cloud from dawn, perhaps at varying heights, will lift and tend to disperse towards the afternoon to leave most hills clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Lifting to 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast at first, but patches of sun will increasingly come through. Visibility mostly very good, but reductions at first in and around snow flurries.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C lifting to -1C
Freezing Level
600m lifting to 800m
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 21st March 2024
Last updated
Mon 18th Mar 24 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 50 to 70mph, stronger gusts likely over exposed higher terrain.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions over the mountains, gusts could knock you over. Significant wind chill from mid-heights upward.
How Wet?
Rain most persistent west
Rain sweeping in, heaviest and most continuous toward western Cairngorms. An abrupt transition to snow on high tops as this finishes by evening. Then into night, showers with snow & hail falling below 600m.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas
Shrouding high tops much of the day, lowest cloud bases toward the west in rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, hazy. Visibility reduced further in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 to 5C. Wind chill feeling like -5 to -10C on tops.
Freezing Level
Soon well above the summits. Then into night, likely to fall rapidly, below 800m by early Friday.
Planning Outlook
Mixed westerly patterns prevail this week, but turning northwesterly toward the weekend allowing much colder air to move in - dropping extensively below freezing point over all British mountains for several days. Fresh upland snowfalls, concentrated toward the west and north of the Highlands, including heavy showers with hail. A period of sustained gales over the tops late this week and likely into the weekend - severe gales over Scottish tops on Thursday at least; significant or at times severe wind chill factor.