Mountain weather

North Grampian

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Yellow warning

Yellow weather warnings in force for North Grampian

North Grampian Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

Generally high, but low for details on Tuesday, particularly winds, snow amounts and freezing level. Low for timing of snow later Friday and details on Saturday.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.

hazard Heavy Persistent Snow
Heavy snow can lead to rapid changes in underfoot conditions and paths may become treacherous or hidden. It also brings very poor visibility and often makes navigation much more challenging. When deep snow accumulates progress is often time consuming and strenuous, significantly affecting the distance one can travel on foot. Deep drifts can develop if snow is combined with strong winds. A heightened avalanche risk is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
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.
Mountain hazards explained
Avalanche information for Scotland. Scottish Avalanche Information Service.

Mountain weather forecast

Low cloud and snow for much of the day.

Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
 Light snow Light snow Light snow Heavy snow Heavy snow Heavy snow shower (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
 60% 70% 70% 70% 70% 30%

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m S
7
 SE
9
 E
9
 N
20
 N
32
 N
33
900m S
4
 SE
6
 NE
8
 NE
15
 N
27
 N
25
600m NE
3
 SW
4
 N
5
 NE
9
 N
17
 N
13
300m W
1
 N
3
 NE
4
 N
5
 N
10
 N
7
Glen S
2
 NW
2
 NE
3
 N
4
 N
5
 N
5
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m 8 11 11 25 42 42
900m 5 7 10 19 33 31
600m 3 5 7 12 23 19
300m 3 4 8 12 23 19
Glen 6 4 8 13 21 21

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-5°
-5°
-5°
-6°
-7°
-8°
900m
-2°
-2°
-2°
-3°
-4°
-5°
600m
-1°
0°
-1°
-1°
-2°
-3°
300m
0°
0°
1°
1°
-1°
-2°
Glen
0°
-1°
2°
2°
0°
-1°
Freezing Level
300m
300m
400m
400m
200m
100m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-10°
-10°
-10°
-14°
-17°
-20°
900m
-5°
-5°
-6°
-9°
-12°
-14°
600m
-2°
-2°
-3°
-5°
-8°
-9°
300m
-1°
-2°
-1°
-2°
-5°
-5°
Glen
-1°
-3°
0°
-1°
-5°
-6°

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Uncertainty in snow amounts and exact freezing level, but persistent snow will bring a significant change to more wintry conditions down to lower slopes. Challenging navigation conditions. Note strengthening winds in the evening resulting in drifting of fresh snow.

Weather

Snow continues on and off for much of the day, occasionally falling as sleet or rain at low levels. Snow turning heavier late afternoon. Turning dry with clear spells across western ranges in the evening, but snow showers to low levels across the Cairngorms with strengthening northerly winds.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

10%.

Low cloud and visibility

Very poor visibility likely throughout the day in low cloud and snow, with whiteout conditions giving very poor contrast. Heavier snow reducing the visibility to tens of meters.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Largely dry with patchy cloud west of the A9, best of the sunny spells towards Ben Alder. Frequent cloud with scattered snow showers further east over the Cairngorms, these often heavy with a risk of thunder. Bitterly cold.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

30% in the east 70% in the west.

Maximum wind speed expected

North-northwest 20 gusting 30-35 mph

Temperature

  • At 800m Minus 5 Celsius.
  • Glen Minus 2 Celsius rising to zero Celsius briefly.
  • Freezing level Down to the glens.

Low cloud and visibility

Excellent visibility, but rapidly falling very poor in passing snow showers. Cloud often above the summits, but falling to around 900m near passing showers.

Mountain weather information

Thu 20 Nov

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Snow showers across the northern Cairngorms to start, dry with sunny spells in the west. All hills becoming dry with sunny spells in the afternoon. Fresh northerly winds gradually easing. Freezing level down to the glens.

Fri 21 Nov

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cold, dry bright start. High cloud thickening and lowering with freshening southwest winds. Snow later in the day or overnight. Freezing level down to the glens rising to around 800m in the evening.

Sat 22 Nov

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Overnight snow clears to a mostly dry day, best of the brightness in the east, less cold than of late. A chance of further rain and snow later in the day. Freezing level around 800m.

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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

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

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