Why is Braemar so cold?

It sits in a high valley bowl where cold air pools on clear, still nights, at about 340m and a long way from the sea. That combination produced the UK’s lowest recorded temperature, ‒27.2°C, in 1895 and again in 1982.

Is Braemar drier than the west Highlands?

Considerably. The Cairngorms wring most of the rain out of westerly systems before they reach upper Deeside, so Braemar can be clear and bright while Fort William and Aviemore are under cloud. It is one of the drier places in the Highlands.

Which avalanche forecast covers the hills around Braemar?

Two of them. SAIS Northern Cairngorms covers the ground towards Ben Macdui and Beinn a’ Bhùird; SAIS Southern Cairngorms covers Lochnagar, Glas Maol and the Glenshee hills. Read the one that matches the hill you are going to, not the one closest to the village.

Does the road over Glenshee close in winter?

Regularly. The A93 over the Cairnwell is the highest main road in Britain and drifts shut in strong winds with snow lying, sometimes when the village itself looks fine. Check the road before committing to a Glenshee day from the north.

Cairngorms

Braemar Weather

Mountain forecast and current conditions · summit 1155m

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 08mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:44
Sunset: 19:34
Civil dawn: 06:05
Civil dusk: 20:13

NOAA Solar Calculator · 15 September 2026

About the weather here

Braemar sits at about 340m in upper Deeside, the highest village of its size in Britain and the gateway to the eastern Cairngorms — Lochnagar, Beinn a’ Bhùird, Ben Avon and the Glen Clova and Glenshee hills are all reached from here. It is also the coldest inhabited place in the country, which is the single most useful thing to know before planning a winter day from it.

What to expect

Braemar has the most continental climate in Scotland: dry by Highland standards, with big temperature swings and reliable winter cold. The Cairngorms take most of the moisture out of westerly systems before they reach Deeside, so the village often stays clear while Aviemore is under cloud. The flip side is the cold — the village sits in a bowl where air pools on still nights, and inversions can leave the glen far colder than the hills above it.

Wind exposure

Sheltered in the village itself, and severe on the plateaux above. The A93 over the Cairnwell to Glenshee is the highest main road in Britain and is the first thing to close in drifting snow; the hills either side of upper Deeside are open, high and exposed.

Winter conditions

Braemar holds the UK’s lowest recorded temperature, ‒27.2°C, set in 1895 and matched in 1982. Winter here is the real thing: the Glenshee ski area is 15 minutes south, the Cairnwell road closes in drifting snow, and the hills north and south of the village are covered by two different SAIS forecasts — Northern Cairngorms for the ground towards Ben Macdui and Beinn a’ Bhùird, Southern Cairngorms for Lochnagar, Glas Maol and the Glenshee hills. Read the one that matches the hill, not the one nearest the village.

Official forecasts

MWIS Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath forecast SAIS Northern Cairngorms avalanche forecast SAIS Southern Cairngorms avalanche forecast

Always check an official mountain forecast before setting out. Current conditions displayed above are from the Open-Meteo API and are indicative only.

Hills in this area

Hill	Height
Lochnagar	1155m
Beinn a’ Bhùird	1197m
Ben Avon	1171m
Glas Maol	1068m

Frequently asked questions

Why is Braemar so cold?: It sits in a high valley bowl where cold air pools on clear, still nights, at about 340m and a long way from the sea. That combination produced the UK’s lowest recorded temperature, ‒27.2°C, in 1895 and again in 1982.
Is Braemar drier than the west Highlands?: Considerably. The Cairngorms wring most of the rain out of westerly systems before they reach upper Deeside, so Braemar can be clear and bright while Fort William and Aviemore are under cloud. It is one of the drier places in the Highlands.
Which avalanche forecast covers the hills around Braemar?: Two of them. SAIS Northern Cairngorms covers the ground towards Ben Macdui and Beinn a’ Bhùird; SAIS Southern Cairngorms covers Lochnagar, Glas Maol and the Glenshee hills. Read the one that matches the hill you are going to, not the one closest to the village.
Does the road over Glenshee close in winter?: Regularly. The A93 over the Cairnwell is the highest main road in Britain and drifts shut in strong winds with snow lying, sometimes when the village itself looks fine. Check the road before committing to a Glenshee day from the north.

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