Best time to visit Cairngorms National Park
Month-by-month weather averages for Cairngorms National Park.
Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, United Kingdom
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | -1.6 °C / 29 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 3.4 °C / 38 °F | -1.5 °C / 29 °F | 88 mm / 3.5 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 5.3 °C / 42 °F | -0.8 °C / 31 °F | 84 mm / 3.3 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 8.4 °C / 47 °F | 1 °C / 34 °F | 65 mm / 2.6 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 11.6 °C / 53 °F | 3.9 °C / 39 °F | 86 mm / 3.4 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 6.9 °C / 44 °F | 86 mm / 3.4 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 15.7 °C / 60 °F | 8.8 °C / 48 °F | 99 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| August | 14.8 °C / 59 °F | 8.3 °C / 47 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 6.5 °C / 44 °F | 77 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 9.4 °C / 49 °F | 3.9 °C / 39 °F | 104 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 5.7 °C / 42 °F | 0.8 °C / 33 °F | 94 mm / 3.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 3.4 °C / 38 °F | -1.1 °C / 30 °F | 113 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- July
Why these months
July · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 57%, feels like (high) 13.9 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 15.7 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 99 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, average daily low 8.8 °C / 48 °F.
Against: wet days 18.5 days, relative humidity 83%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–June, September
- Good
- April, July–August
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily high 8.4 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 64%, daylight per day 14.3 h, average daily low 1 °C / 34 °F, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
Against: wet days 14.1 days, feels like (high) 4.5 °C / 40 °F.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 11.6 °C / 53 °F, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, share of daylight that is sunny 62%, daylight per day 16.5 h, average daily low 3.9 °C / 39 °F, feels like (high) 8.5 °C / 47 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 16.7 days.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.1 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, feels like (high) 11.8 °C / 53 °F, average daily low 6.9 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 56%, daylight per day 17.8 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 15.8 days.
July · good
In its favour: average daily high 15.7 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 99 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, feels like (high) 13.9 °C / 57 °F, average daily low 8.8 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 57%, daylight per day 17.2 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 18.5 days.
August · good
In its favour: average daily high 14.8 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, feels like (high) 12.7 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 8.3 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 57%, daylight per day 15.1 h, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 17.9 days.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 12.9 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 77 mm / 3 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily low 6.5 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 56%, daylight per day 12.8 h, feels like (high) 10.3 °C / 51 °F, wind (daily max) 20 km/h / 12 mph.
Against: wet days 13.3 days.
Skiing and snow
Wants cold and snowfall; sunshine barely matters.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: good
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: best
- Best
- December–March
- Good
- April, November
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: snowfall 43 cm / 16.7 in, average daily high 2.8 °C / 37 °F, days with snow 18.6 days, average daily low -1.6 °C / 29 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 7.5 h.
February · best
In its favour: snowfall 38 cm / 15 in, days with snow 16.2 days, average daily high 3.4 °C / 38 °F, average daily low -1.5 °C / 29 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 9.5 h.
March · best
In its favour: snowfall 32 cm / 12.5 in, days with snow 16 days, average daily low -0.8 °C / 31 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 11.9 h.
Against: average daily high 5.3 °C / 42 °F.
April · good
In its favour: days with snow 9.5 days, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph, daylight per day 14.3 h.
Against: average daily high 8.4 °C / 47 °F, snowfall 16 cm / 6.1 in, average daily low 1 °C / 34 °F.
November · good
In its favour: days with snow 9.8 days, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 8.1 h.
Against: snowfall 15 cm / 6.1 in, average daily high 5.7 °C / 42 °F, average daily low 0.8 °C / 33 °F.
December · best
In its favour: snowfall 36 cm / 14 in, days with snow 16.1 days, average daily high 3.4 °C / 38 °F, average daily low -1.1 °C / 30 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 6.8 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Glenshee Ski Center, 21 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -1.4 °C | -0.8 °C | 1.1 °C | 4.5 °C | 8.5 °C | 11.8 °C | 13.9 °C | 12.7 °C | 10.3 °C | 6.2 °C | 2.1 °C | -0.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 3 days | 2.8 days | 1.9 days | 1.1 days | 1.9 days | 2.1 days | 2.3 days | 2.8 days | 1.9 days | 3 days | 2.2 days | 3.5 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 8 am | 10 am | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 1 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 9 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 3.3 h | 5 h | 7.1 h | 9.2 h | 10.3 h | 10 h | 9.8 h | 8.7 h | 7.2 h | 4.7 h | 3.5 h | 2.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 91% | 89% | 86% | 81% | 80% | 82% | 83% | 85% | 87% | 90% | 92% | 92% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 2.7 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ | 3.6 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ | 2.4 µg/m³ | 2.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 5.4 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 10.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 4.4 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.