Cairngorm
United Kingdom · Scotland · 1245 m
Current conditions
OvercastScore breakdown
Resort terrain
#52 of 54 →Next 7 days
Forecast via Open-MeteoWhat to pack
- Waterproof outer layers essential. Rain in the forecast.
- Spring conditions. Lighter layers, sun cream and sunglasses.
This week is looking well below average for late April.
How good is skiing this week compared to what Cairngorm normally delivers in late April?
What's driving it
- Base depth not reported for this location
- Only 3 cm of snow in the last 7 days
- Rain forecast Sunday and Monday
- Warm spell forecast — above 5°C on 5 days
The groomers will be hard-packed and fast. Edge grip is everything.
This season so far
1 days logged since the start of the season.
Best time to visit Cairngorm
Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
Key insights
- The best week for snow at Cairngorm is the week of 20 April (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Best time to visit
Crowd calendar
How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.
School holidays affecting this destination
How are these scores calculated?
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
About Cairngorm
Scotland's most accessible ski area, set in the Cairngorms National Park with views across the Spey Valley. Conditions are famously fickle, but good days rival anywhere for atmosphere, and the base town of Aviemore offers seasonal work in outdoor pursuits and the whisky industry.
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Create Profile →Frequently asked questions
How often is this page updated?
Current conditions refresh every 6 hours when the cron runs. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
What is the luck factor?
A score comparing how good skiing is likely to be this week at Cairngorm versus what Cairngorm normally delivers in late April, based on the last 5 years of weather data.
Where does the data come from?
Open-Meteo, a free open weather API that blends multiple national weather services plus an archive going back decades. The same data powers many outdoor apps.
Does a high score mean the skiing is good right now?
It means the weather data suggests good conditions. Local factors like lift closures, off-piste avalanche risk and grooming still matter. Check resort webcams and the local piste report before committing.
When is the best time to ski Cairngorm?
The best week for snow at Cairngorm is the week of 20 April (score 3/5) with low crowds.