Mountain weather

Mountain weather

South Grampian and Southeast Highlands

Confidence

High confidence for mostly unsettled weather. Lower confidence for details of rain and wind from Sunday.

Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.
Heavy Persistent Rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.

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.
Thunderstorms
Lightning is a significant mountain hazard which can result in serious injury or death. Mountain terrain often leaves one highly exposed to lightning strikes. Hail may give unpleasant conditions with torrential rain and localised flash flooding also possible, mainly in Summer months.
Strong Sunlight
Harmful UV levels from sunlight increase with altitude giving a greater risk of sunburn and eye damage, even on some overcast days. On breezy days, the cooling effect of wind on exposed skin may disguise any feeling of sunburn until it is too late. If there is snow cover, glare increases the effect of UV rays especially on the eyes. It is advisable to wear sun block, protective clothing such as a long-sleeved top and hat and have good quality eye protection.

Mountain weather forecast

Mostly cloudy. Some showers in morning, turning heavy in afternoon. Light winds.

Time
Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Weather symbols Light rain Heavy rain showers Thundery showers Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Light rain
Chance of
precipitation
(at 800m)
Chance of precipitation
50%
50%
70%
80%
70%
50%

Wind direction and speed

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1100m
1100m SW 6mph knots
SW
6mph
W 8mph knots
W
8mph
W 18mph knots
W
18mph
W 23mph knots
W
23mph
W 27mph knots
W
27mph
W 30mph knots
W
30mph
900m
900m SW 3mph knots
SW
3mph
W 7mph knots
W
7mph
W 14mph knots
W
14mph
W 16mph knots
W
16mph
W 19mph knots
W
19mph
W 21mph knots
W
21mph
600m
600m W 2mph knots
W
2mph
NW 5mph knots
NW
5mph
W 10mph knots
W
10mph
W 12mph knots
W
12mph
W 14mph knots
W
14mph
W 14mph knots
W
14mph
300m
300m NW 1mph knots
NW
1mph
SW 3mph knots
SW
3mph
W 5mph knots
W
5mph
W 7mph knots
W
7mph
W 8mph knots
W
8mph
W 8mph knots
W
8mph
Glen
Glen SE 1mph knots
SE
1mph
S 3mph knots
S
3mph
W 6mph knots
W
6mph
W 5mph knots
W
5mph
W 8mph knots
W
8mph
W 7mph knots
W
7mph

Wind gust

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1100m
1100m 7mph 10mph 23mph 29mph 34mph 37mph
900m
900m 4mph 9mph 19mph 22mph 27mph 28mph
600m
600m 3mph 7mph 17mph 21mph 25mph 25mph
300m
300m 2mph 5mph 11mph 16mph 16mph 19mph
Glen
Glen 2mph 4mph 13mph 10mph 17mph 17mph

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1100m
1100m 2 degrees Celsius 3 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius 1 degrees Celsius -1 degrees Celsius -2 degrees Celsius
900m
900m 5 degrees Celsius 6 degrees Celsius 5 degrees Celsius 5 degrees Celsius 3 degrees Celsius 1 degrees Celsius
600m
600m 8 degrees Celsius 10 degrees Celsius 9 degrees Celsius 9 degrees Celsius 7 degrees Celsius 5 degrees Celsius
300m
300m 11 degrees Celsius 13 degrees Celsius 13 degrees Celsius 12 degrees Celsius 11 degrees Celsius 9 degrees Celsius
Glen
Glen 11 degrees Celsius 14 degrees Celsius 13 degrees Celsius 14 degrees Celsius 12 degrees Celsius 10 degrees Celsius
Freezing Level Freezing Level
1900m
1900m
2000m
2000m
2000m
1900m

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Navigation could be challenging in areas of hill fog and poor visibility in heavy rain. Quite frequent and occasionally heavy showers may soak through clothes and make underfoot conditions slippery and heavy-going, so suitable clothing and equipment is advised. Feeling chilly at height. Increasingly windy conditions will make for fairly arduous walking on exposed terrain with buffeting of clothing. Balance may be affected at times.

Weather

Largely cloudy through the morning with some showery outbreaks of rain but also some drier and brighter spells at times. Heavy, slow-moving showers develop through the afternoon, these turning thundery in places. These largely clear away in the evening but some cloud and rain spreading in to Aberdeenshire hills.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

30% in morning, 50% in afternoon.

Low cloud and visibility

Quite extensive areas of cloud down to 400-600m or so in the morning. This lifting and breaking to some extent through the day, but conditions will deteriorate markedly as heavy showers pass through, with only temporary clearer spells in-between. More widespread low cloud spreads east into northern ranges through the evening.

Ground conditions

No recent ground conditions report available.

Summit specific forecast