Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions, enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 35mph.
Fine, partly cloudy winter day
Dry winter day with partly cloudy skies, cloud banks covering some mountain slopes.
Very Cold
Very low air temperatures or feeling bitterly cold due to wind chill on the mountains. Difficult conditions. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Suitable protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, spikes and crampons may be necessary.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions, enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 35mph.
Fine, partly cloudy winter day
Dry winter day with partly cloudy skies, cloud banks covering some mountain slopes.
Very Cold
Very low air temperatures or feeling bitterly cold due to wind chill on the mountains. Difficult conditions. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Suitable protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, spikes and crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 6th December 2023
Last updated
Tue 5th Dec 23 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
After a hard frost, mostly dry and bright, but feeling increasingly bitterly cold as southeasterly winds strengthen and cloud thicken through the day ahead of a front, which will bring and increasing risk of upland snowfall, in across western mountains toward evening, and then spreading to all parts overnight.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Bitter chill in strengthening southeast winds. Snow setting in overnight.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly, strengthening through day from 20-30mph after dawn to 30 to perhaps 45mph before dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly difficult, in places on lower slopes, and feeling bitterly cold as wind chill becomes significant.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Dry all daylight, but into evening and overnight, widespread snow with whiteout will push in across the area.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive toward southeast, breaks in northwest.
Generally persistent cloud above 600m, possibly lower Lochnagar. Near and west of Cairngorm ski-centre and across Monadhliath, most cloud above 900m and perhaps often clearing Monahdliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% southeast, 70% in northwest.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine here and there, mainly near and west of A9. Visibility excellent although increasingly hazy.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C. Will feel as cold as minus 16C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Almost all terrain frozen.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 7th December 2023
Last updated
Tue 5th Dec 23 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Very turbulent conditions developing. Southeasterly winds; lifting through day to 50 to 80mph
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for increasingly very difficult conditions, as turbulent and very powerful winds accelerate over the mountains.
How Wet?
Spells of snow or refrozen rain
Spells of snow. Level to which snow falls varying, to lower slopes in some areas, but upper slopes elsewhere, with some hills seeing refrozen rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Extenisve
Cloud widely covering the hills from lower or mid slopes upwards.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast. Poor or very poor visibility, near zero in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around -3C, will tend to rise to between -2C and plus 1C More like -20C in the wind.
Freezing Level
400-500m, lifting to 600-1000m, very varied across area.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 8th December 2023
Last updated
Tue 5th Dec 23 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
East to southeasterly 15 to 25mph, locally 30mph at first, but tending to ease through the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for considerable wind chill in the strongest breezes, although tending to ease through the day.
How Wet?
Rain, snow tops, fizzling out.
Areas of rain, or above 1000m snow, on and off for a time, but tending to fizzle out into the afternoon to leave the area mostly dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Cloud covering the hills fairly extensively, perhaps down to lower slopes across hills accessible from Deeside, and near Drumochter. Best breaks Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly dull, but some patchy sun perhaps at times breaking through Monadhliath. Visibility at times good or very good, but poor and murky where in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 1C, but feeling closer to -10C initially in the strongest winds before they ease.
Freezing Level
Gradual thaw to upper slopes, with freezing level around 1100m.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled conditions will prevail over the next week to 10 days, with periods of upland gales or severe gales with precipitation frequent, mostly rain, although intermittently snow Scottish Highlands, more rarely elsewhere. Driest conditions (relative to the average) will likely be in the northwest Highlands, given the often backed flow, as the low pressure areas track in.