Active location

Cairn Gorm, Highland

57.12°N, 3.64°W · ~1230m · 06:55 – 19:19

Updated 19:20

Temp

4°C

↓ 0.5 / 1hr

Wind

17.4

→ steady / 1hr

Condition

Overcast

Score

2.1

Poor


Time
Condition
Precip mm
Precip %
Temp
Temp °C
Feels °C
Wind
Direction
Wind mph
Gust mph
Detail
Humidity %
Pressure
Vis km
UV Index
CAPE J/kg
Score

Sun 20 Sep					Mon 21 Sep																								Tue 22 Sep																								Wed 23 Sep																								Thu 24 Sep																								Fri 25 Sep																								Sat 26 Sep																								Sun 27 Sep
19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00	01:00	02:00	03:00	04:00	05:00	06:00	07:00	08:00	09:00	10:00	11:00	12:00	13:00	14:00	15:00	16:00	17:00	18:00	19:00	20:00	21:00	22:00	23:00	00:00

-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.1	0.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	0.7	0.7	0.7	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.1	0.1	0.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
30%	35%	35%	30%	25%	10%	10%	0%	0%	0%	5%	40%	90%	50%	30%	25%	30%	25%	20%	25%	25%	30%	30%	30%	25%	30%	25%	35%	20%	5%	0%	0%	10%	25%	25%	25%	20%	25%	5%	10%	35%	35%	40%	95%	95%	40%	15%	15%	15%	15%	10%	10%	15%	20%	25%	25%	25%	25%	25%	25%	30%	30%	25%	25%	15%	10%	10%	15%	15%	30%	70%	65%	60%	65%	65%	65%	25%	30%	30%	30%	30%	30%	30%	25%	25%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	70%	70%	80%	85%	85%	85%	100%	100%	100%	80%	70%	70%	40%	15%	15%	15%	20%	20%	70%	75%	75%	25%	15%	5%	5%	0%	0%	0%	15%	25%	10%	20%	20%	20%	20%	20%	20%	15%	15%	10%	10%	15%	10%	10%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	25%	30%	30%	30%	30%	30%	35%

4°	3°	3°	3°	3°	3°	4°	5°	5°	6°	6°	7°	7°	7°	8°	10°	10°	11°	11°	11°	11°	11°	11°	10°	10°	9°	9°	8°	8°	8°	8°	8°	7°	7°	7°	7°	7°	7°	8°	9°	9°	9°	9°	8°	7°	7°	7°	7°	6°	6°	6°	5°	5°	4°	4°	3°	3°	3°	2°	2°	3°	3°	3°	3°	4°	4°	5°	5°	5°	5°	4°	4°	3°	3°	3°	3°	2°	1°	-0°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-1°	0°	2°	3°	3°	4°	4°	5°	6°	6°	6°	5°	5°	6°	6°	7°	7°	8°	8°	7°	5°	4°	4°	3°	3°	3°	4°	4°	4°	4°	4°	4°	5°	5°	5°	4°	4°	3°	3°	3°	3°	3°	3°	3°	2°	2°	2°	2°	2°	3°	3°	4°	5°	6°	6°	6°	6°	6°	5°	5°	5°	5°	4°	4°	3°	3°
-2°	-3°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-1°	-1°	1°	1°	2°	2°	3°	3°	4°	5°	5°	6°	7°	7°	7°	7°	6°	6°	5°	4°	3°	3°	3°	3°	2°	1°	1°	2°	1°	1°	0°	1°	2°	3°	4°	5°	5°	4°	4°	4°	4°	4°	3°	3°	3°	3°	3°	2°	2°	1°	0°	-0°	-0°	0°	1°	1°	1°	2°	2°	2°	1°	1°	1°	0°	-0°	0°	-0°	-0°	-0°	-1°	-2°	-3°	-4°	-4°	-4°	-5°	-5°	-5°	-5°	-4°	-3°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-3°	-3°	-3°	-3°	-3°	-2°	-1°	-1°	1°	2°	3°	2°	-0°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-3°	-3°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-1°	-1°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-3°	-3°	-2°	-2°	-3°	-3°	-3°	-3°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-1°	-1°	-0°	-0°	-0°	-0°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-1°	-2°	-2°	-2°	-3°

W	WNW	W	WNW	WNW	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	WSW	W	W	W	W	W	WSW	W	W	W	W	WSW	WSW	NW	N	NE	E	ESE	SE	SSW	WSW	NW	NW	NW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	W	W	WSW	SW	SSW	SSW	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S
17	17	16	16	15	12	12	12	11	13	12	14	14	14	17	18	18	19	18	19	18	18	20	19	17	20	21	21	17	18	20	21	20	19	21	20	23	22	22	22	18	16	15	11	11	9	10	7	6	6	4	3	2	1	1	2	2	3	2	2	1	0	0	1	2	3	5	7	10	12	11	9	7	6	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	6	8	10	12	14	16	19	23	27	30	30	28	26	26	26	26	24	21	19	18	18	17	17	16	16	17	17	18	19	19	19	19	19	19	17	15	14	14	15	15	14	14	14	13	12	11	10	10	10	11	12	14	16	18	19	19	19	19	18	18	17	17	17	17	17	17
34	34	31	31	30	24	24	24	22	27	25	27	28	29	35	36	36	38	36	36	35	36	39	37	34	40	41	41	35	37	41	43	39	38	41	40	46	44	44	43	36	32	28	21	20	17	18	14	11	11	7	4	3	2	2	3	4	4	4	3	2	1	1	2	4	7	10	14	19	21	19	15	12	11	10	10	9	7	6	6	6	7	7	7	9	12	17	21	25	28	33	39	47	52	51	48	45	45	46	45	42	37	34	32	31	30	29	29	29	29	30	32	32	33	33	33	33	32	30	26	24	24	26	27	24	24	24	23	21	19	17	17	17	18	21	25	29	32	34	34	34	33	32	31	30	30	29	29	29	29

92	94	97	98	90	84	79	64	65	62	79	85	90	94	95	94	95	94	91	93	94	95	97	98	96	96	97	99	91	88	86	86	91	92	92	93	90	92	88	88	96	95	98	100	100	96	87	84	82	83	84	86	89	92	94	94	94	94	95	97	98	97	94	91	85	79	74	73	75	77	81	85	89	90	90	91	93	95	96	96	95	94	93	92	90	85	80	76	76	77	78	77	77	77	80	84	88	90	92	93	93	92	91	90	89	88	87	85	84	83	82	82	82	83	82	78	71	68	69	73	77	82	87	91	87	90	92	93	93	93	93	92	91	89	87	85	82	80	79	78	78	78	78	79	80	82	84	86	88	91
882	882	883	883	883	884	884	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	886	886	886	886	886	886	885	885	885	885	885	885	884	884	883	883	883	883	883	882	883	883	884	884	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	885	884	884	884	884	883	883	882	881	881	881	880	880	881	881	881	881	881	882	882	882	882	882	882	882	883	883	883	883	882	881	881	881	881	880	879	879	879	879	879	878	878	877	876	875	874	873	873	872	871	871	871	870	871	871	871	870	870	870	870	871	871	872	872	873	873	873	874	875	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	876	875	876	876	876	876	876	876	875	875	874	874	873	873	872	871	870	870	869
34.5	32.2	25.5	22.1	39.3	42.4	44.9	52.5	53.8	59.3	57.4	34.4	22.2	23.3	21.2	23.1	20	23	26.8	22.1	21.5	20.3	17.5	14.2	24.6	23.7	17.7	9.9	37.6	42.2	44.9	45	38.6	34.7	35.3	35.9	38.3	34.2	38	38.5	20.5	22	10	0.1	4.6	32.2	40.7	35.2	29.5	22.8	22.6	22.3	20.7	19	17.4	17.3	17.2	17.1	15.5	13.8	12.1	14.7	17.3	20	21.8	23.7	25.6	19.5	13.4	7.2	11.4	15.5	19.7	19.8	19.9	20	18.4	16.8	15.2	15.9	16.6	17.3	18.3	19.3	20.3	21.8	23.2	24.7	21.9	19.1	16.3	17.4	18.5	19.7	15.3	11	6.6	5.9	5.3	4.6	4.1	3.7	3.2	9.3	15.4	21.6	21.9	22.3	22.6	21.8	20.9	20	15.1	10.3	5.4	11.5	17.6	23.7	23.6	23.6	23.5	21.9	20.2	18.6	18	17.3	16.7	17.1	17.5	18	18.4	18.8	19.2	19.6	19.9	20.2	20.6	20.9	21.2	20.5	19.7	18.9	18.1	17.3	16.5	15.8	15.1	14.3	13.6	12.9
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.3	0.8	1.3	2	2.3	1.9	1.4	0.9	0.3	0.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.1	0.4	0.9	1	1.2	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.3	0.2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.4	0.8	1.2	1.6	1.8	1.9	1.9	1.6	1.4	1.2	0.8	0.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.4	0.9	1.3	1.6	1.9	2	1.9	1.7	1.4	1	0.5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.4	0.8	1.2	1.5	1.7	1.8	2	2	1.8	1.4	0.8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.6	1.4	2	2.4	2.5	2.4	2.2	1.9	1.4	0.9	0.4	-	-	-	-	-	-
20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	10	0	0	20	3	0	0	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	10	10	20	20	30	40	40	40	30	20	20	10	10	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	30	40	50	60	60	50	30	20	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	20	20	30	30	30	20	20	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2.0	1.9	2.5	2.6	2.8	5.4	5.3	5.4	5.8	4.8	5.3	3.5	3.1	3.2	1.9	2.7	2.7	2.2	2.8	2.6	2.9	2.7	2.1	2.5	3.3	1.8	1.6	1.6	3.1	2.6	1.7	1.2	2.0	2.2	1.6	1.8	0.5	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.6	2.5	3.2	4.6	4.8	5.7	5.4	6.2	6.7	6.8	7.5	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	8.8	7.0	6.1	5.1	4.5	6.0	6.9	7.6	7.9	8.1	8.1	8.4	8.6	8.7	7.5	7.4	7.3	7.3	7.2	6.9	6.3	5.4	4.5	3.7	2.9	1.9	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.8	1.6	1.8	2.0	2.6	2.8	2.8	2.6	2.4	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.7	2.9	3.1	3.8	4.6	5.1	5.0	4.7	4.4	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.3	5.7	6.1	6.5	6.7	6.7	6.4	5.7	4.9	4.1	3.3	2.9	2.7	2.8	1.8	2.1	2.3	2.5	2.6	2.6	2.7	2.7	2.7

Day average: 2.1/10

Best window: 19:00-22:00 · Avg 2.1

What this shows

The selected day from 06:00 to 21:00, scored from 0-10. The top line gives the day average and strongest window; the bars show how conditions rise and fall through that activity window. WeatherDuck score — Wind up to 5 mph (matters a lot) · Rain none at all (matters a fair bit) · Sky At least Mostly cloudy (matters a fair bit).

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These factors shape your score — set a comfy range for each, and how much it matters. Add more from the tray, or remove ones you don't care about. The bars update instantly.

Wind

Comfy range up to 5 mph

How much it matters

matters a lot

Rain

Comfy range none at all

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Sky

Comfy range At least Mostly cloudy

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Temperature

Comfy range 0 – 25°C

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Time of day

Comfy range any time of day

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Comfy range any UV level

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Wind direction

Comfy range any direction

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Visibility

Comfy range at least 5 km

How much it matters

matters a fair bit

Not counted — tap to add

Overcast

6° / 2° · Today · Sun 20

Patchy precipitation is possible, but coverage looks limited. Westerly winds averaging around 22 mph with peaks near 26 mph, gusting to 51 mph. Temperatures range from 2C to 6C with largely cloudy skies.

0.3 mm

Rain total

26 mph W

Wind max

gusts 51 mph

2.3

UV max

peak 12:00

Low

Pollen

Grass

Air quality

Fair

Very low

Thunder

CAPE 30

Atmosphere

Cloud avg 92%

Freezing level 1,520 mup to 3,230 m

Fog risk Low

Sun & Moon

06:55 / 19:19

Sun ↑↓

12 h 24 m

Daylight

17:40 / 23:49

Moon ↑↓

Waxing Gibbous

Moon phase

66% lit

Live rain radar

LIVE

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Light Moderate Heavy

Radar data by RainViewer

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Ground conditions

Is it muddy out there?

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6.1 mm

Last 24 h

78.8 mm

Last 7 days

Measured at Cairngorm Raingauge and Snow Scale rain gauge, 1.7 km away

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Rain gauges and totals stay free for everyone

Layer	Item	Material	Why
Base	Thermal base layer	Heavyweight merino or synthetic thermal; avoid cotton	-5°C feels temp
Mid	Down or heavy fleece	Down OK today (dry forecast), or heavy fleece. Consider 2 mid layers	Wind chill feels like -5°C
Outer	Windproof shell	Hardshell or softshell; wind protection is the priority today	26 mph, gusts 48 mph
Lower	Insulated trousers	Softshell or fleece-lined walking trousers	Sub-zero wind chill on exposed legs
Feet	Insulated waterproof boots	Stiff sole for frozen ground, thick socks (wool blend)	Frozen ground, ice risk
Extras	Warm hat, thick gloves, balaclava	Windproof gloves, spare pair. Consider microspikes for ice	Feels like -5°C with a risk to exposed skin

Layer up. Plan to wear the main protection from the start.

Wear from the start 5 pieces

Add before you go Weather protection

Tap an item to see why

Essential Recommended Guidance

Guidance based on the forecast, not professional safety advice. Always use your own judgement. BMC layering guide →

Inversion Outlook Cairngorms & East Highlands region

Unlikely

Sunday afternoon BEST

No clear window yet.

SUN AFTERNOON

No clear window

Unlikely

MON MORNING

No clear window

Unlikely

MON AFTERNOON

No clear window

Unlikely

Tap a period for detail

Key Factors

Temperature lid

Valley moisture

38%

Layer contrast

Summit clarity

Wind speed

Duration

No temperature inversion detected

Marginal moisture below

No moisture contrast, diffuse profile

Saturated above, no clear cap

Too windy, mixing likely

No sustained favourable window

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Example email alert

Cairngorm Glenmore Very likely

A Very likely inversion is about 28 km from your chosen location — tomorrow, best window 6–9am.

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Email alerts sent up to 24h ahead.

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Cloud Inversion Heatmap

Atmospheric Profile · Cairngorm Glenmore · 320 m

Region Anchor

Loading… Timeline

Surface Pressure

Humidity at Pressure Levels

Higher humidity means the air is closer to saturation.

Temperature at Pressure Levels

Warmer air above cooler air can indicate an inversion.

All heights shown equally.

Golden Hour

Today

DARKNESS

DAYLIGHT

06:10

06:35

06:55 Sunrise

07:15

07:40

Golden Hour · 40 min

Be at your summit by 06:35

Allow time to set up before the light show begins.

Monthly Inversion Chance

Illustrative relative chance by season

Illustrative — typical UK pattern

~2 proper inversion days per year. Mostly late autumn to spring.

Cloud inversions explained

What is a cloud inversion near Cairn Gorm, Highland?

A cloud inversion happens when cool, moist air becomes trapped in valleys beneath warmer air above. If the trapped moisture turns into fog or low cloud, the hills can rise through it into clearer air and sunshine. From a summit, the result can look like a wide sea of cloud with only the higher peaks visible.

The best chance near Cairn Gorm, Highland is a calm, settled night with moist valley air, a warm lid above and clearer, drier air over the tops. The bands on this page, from Unlikely to Very likely, describe the strength of that overall signal rather than a percentage promise, so always check timing, estimated cloud height and wind before setting off.

How to read this page. The headline outlook covers the surrounding region. Key Factors and the Atmospheric Profile describe the nearest available atmospheric profile.

Read the full UK cloud inversion guide See how WeatherDuck forecasts inversions

Common questions

When are cloud inversions most likely near Cairn Gorm?

Late October to early March, most often in the hours around dawn. They need a long, calm, clear night so cold air can pool in the valleys, which is why they are rare in summer.

How high do you need to climb to get above the cloud?

It depends on the cloud top, which most often sits between 200m and 800m. This page estimates the cloud top for each night, so check it against the height of the summit you have in mind.

How far ahead can a cloud inversion be forecast?

The signal usually firms up inside 48 hours. Beyond that the outlook tells you whether the pattern looks favourable rather than giving a firm call.

Does a Likely band mean an inversion is guaranteed?

No. The bands describe how strongly the ingredients line up, not a percentage chance, so always check the timing, estimated cloud height and wind before setting off.

Tonight's Stargazing

Very poor conditions Skies look closed in — best to wait it out.

Moon Waxing Gibbous 68%

Cloud Cover Mostly cloudy 80%

Moon Times Rise 17:40 · Set 23:49

Sky Clarity 42 km Clear

Lunar Day Day 9.1

Light Pollution View map ↓

Tonight's Aurora

Aurora & Solar Wind NOAA

1.7 Planetary Kp Very Low

Wind Speed 381 km/s

Bz 2.3 nT

Density 2.2 p/cm³

Bt 4.2 nT

No significant aurora activity expected tonight.

Nightly Outlook

Tonight · 20 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 68% illuminated

15/100

Best window 01:49–03:49 Lower cloud and a low or hidden moon.

Moon height above horizon DaylightGreen = best stargazing hours

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonset 23:49 Sunset 19:19Sunrise 06:57

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	100%	Above horizon
19:00	100%	Above horizon
20:00	100%	Above horizon
21:00	100%	Above horizon
22:00	100%	Above horizon
23:00	93%	Above horizon
00:00	77%	Below horizon
01:00	82%	Below horizon
02:00	56%	Below horizon
03:00	32%	Below horizon
04:00	63%	Below horizon
05:00	85%	Below horizon
06:00	97%	Below horizon
07:00	100%	Below horizon
08:00	98%	Below horizon
09:00	93%	Below horizon

Highest moon 8° at 20:40 Lunar day 9.1

Mon · 21 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 77% illuminated

36/100

Best window 22:46–04:46 Lower cloud and a low or hidden moon.

Moon height above horizon DaylightGreen = best stargazing hours

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonset 01:11 Sunset 19:16Sunrise 06:59

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	73%	Below horizon
19:00	67%	Above horizon
20:00	69%	Above horizon
21:00	72%	Above horizon
22:00	81%	Above horizon
23:00	49%	Above horizon
00:00	10%	Above horizon
01:00	0%	Above horizon
02:00	4%	Below horizon
03:00	25%	Below horizon
04:00	59%	Below horizon
05:00	73%	Below horizon
06:00	80%	Below horizon
07:00	57%	Below horizon
08:00	53%	Below horizon
09:00	34%	Below horizon

Highest moon 11° at 21:40 Lunar day 10.1

Tue · 22 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 86% illuminated

0/100

No good window tonight 100% cloud cover all night

Moon height above horizon Daylight

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonrise 18:08 Moonset 02:35 Sunset 19:13Sunrise 07:01

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	100%	Below horizon
19:00	100%	Above horizon
20:00	100%	Above horizon
21:00	100%	Above horizon
22:00	100%	Above horizon
23:00	100%	Above horizon
00:00	100%	Above horizon
01:00	100%	Above horizon
02:00	100%	Above horizon
03:00	100%	Below horizon
04:00	100%	Below horizon
05:00	100%	Below horizon
06:00	100%	Below horizon
07:00	100%	Below horizon
08:00	100%	Below horizon
09:00	100%	Below horizon

Highest moon 15° at 22:20 Lunar day 11.1

Wed · 23 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 92% illuminated

21/100

No good window tonight bright moon up most of the night

Moon height above horizon Daylight

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonrise 18:16 Moonset 04:01 Sunset 19:11Sunrise 07:03

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	27%	Below horizon
19:00	17%	Above horizon
20:00	9%	Above horizon
21:00	13%	Above horizon
22:00	23%	Above horizon
23:00	40%	Above horizon
00:00	61%	Above horizon
01:00	78%	Above horizon
02:00	89%	Above horizon
03:00	96%	Above horizon
04:00	99%	Below horizon
05:00	99%	Below horizon
06:00	97%	Below horizon
07:00	96%	Below horizon
08:00	96%	Below horizon
09:00	97%	Below horizon

Highest moon 20° at 23:00 Lunar day 12.1

Thu · 24 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 97% illuminated

1/100

No good window tonight 99% cloud cover all night

Moon height above horizon Daylight

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonrise 18:22 Moonset 05:26 Sunset 19:08Sunrise 07:05

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	89%	Below horizon
19:00	89%	Above horizon
20:00	91%	Above horizon
21:00	96%	Above horizon
22:00	99%	Above horizon
23:00	100%	Above horizon
00:00	100%	Above horizon
01:00	100%	Above horizon
02:00	100%	Above horizon
03:00	100%	Above horizon
04:00	100%	Above horizon
05:00	99%	Above horizon
06:00	98%	Below horizon
07:00	98%	Below horizon
08:00	98%	Below horizon
09:00	99%	Below horizon

Highest moon 26° at 00:00 Lunar day 13.1

Fri · 25 Sep

Full Moon · 100% illuminated

49/100

Best window 05:35–06:35 Lower cloud and a low or hidden moon.

Moon height above horizon DaylightGreen = best stargazing hours

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonrise 18:26 Moonset 06:52 Sunset 19:05Sunrise 07:07

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	11%	Below horizon
19:00	7%	Above horizon
20:00	10%	Above horizon
21:00	21%	Above horizon
22:00	28%	Above horizon
23:00	23%	Above horizon
00:00	24%	Above horizon
01:00	27%	Above horizon
02:00	25%	Above horizon
03:00	21%	Above horizon
04:00	14%	Above horizon
05:00	8%	Above horizon
06:00	5%	Above horizon
07:00	6%	Below horizon
08:00	13%	Below horizon
09:00	18%	Below horizon

Highest moon 32° at 00:40 Lunar day 14.1

Sat · 26 Sep

Full Moon · 100% illuminated

0/100

No good window tonight 90% cloud cover all night

Moon height above horizon Daylight

18:00–10:00 next morning

Moonrise 18:31 Sunset 19:02Sunrise 05:02

Every hour in detail

Hours after midnight are the following morning.
Hour	Cloud cover	Moon
18:00	91%	Below horizon
19:00	92%	Above horizon
20:00	92%	Above horizon
21:00	92%	Above horizon
22:00	90%	Above horizon
23:00	89%	Above horizon
00:00	88%	Above horizon
01:00	—	Above horizon
02:00	—	Above horizon
03:00	—	Above horizon
04:00	—	Above horizon
05:00	—	Above horizon
06:00	—	Above horizon
07:00	—	Above horizon
08:00	—	Above horizon
09:00	—	Below horizon

Highest moon 39° at 01:20 Lunar day 15.1

Aurora Kp · 3-Day Forecast

NOAA SWPC · 3-hourly

Higher Kp = stronger geomagnetic activity = better aurora chances. For UK observers, Kp 4+ means aurora is possible from N. Scotland; Kp 5+ brings it across the whole UK.

Today

Sun 20 Sep

Unsettled

Peak Kp 3.0 at 03:00 UTC

Slightly unsettled — minor activity, no aurora expected.

9630

3.0 · 03:00

0003060912151821

Tomorrow

Mon 21 Sep

Quiet

Peak Kp 2.0 at 03:00 UTC

No aurora expected — geomagnetic field calm.

9630

2.0 · 03:00

0003060912151821

Tue 22

Tue 22 Sep

Quiet

Peak Kp 1.7 at 00:00 UTC

No aurora expected — geomagnetic field calm.

9630

1.7 · 00:00

0003060912151821

Aurora Forecast Map

Global — OVATION Model

UK Focus

Your Night Sky

Meteor Showers

Coming up this year

Orionids Oct 21

Oct 2 – Nov 7

Fast, with persistent trains.

Leonids Nov 17

Nov 6 – Nov 30

Occasional storms. Fast, bright.

Geminids Dec 14

Dec 4 – Dec 20

Best of the year. Bright, multi-coloured.

Earlier this year

Quadrantids Jan 4

Jan 1 – Jan 6

Strong, short-lived peak. Bright fireballs.

Lyrids Apr 22

Apr 16 – Apr 25

Sparse, sometimes glowing trails.

Eta Aquariids May 6

Apr 19 – May 28

Best before dawn. Fast meteors.

Delta Aquariids Jul 30

Jul 12 – Aug 23

Steady rates, faint. Best late night.

Perseids Aug 12

Jul 17 – Aug 24

Bright, reliable. Best summer shower.

Light Pollution Map

Understanding the stargazing score

The stargazing score combines cloud cover and moon illumination to estimate how good conditions are for observing the night sky. Cloud cover is the dominant factor — even the darkest location is useless under heavy cloud.

The Bortle scale measures light pollution from 1 (pristine dark sky) to 9 (inner-city sky). In the UK, the best accessible sites reach Bortle 2 to 3, found in areas like Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, parts of the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons, and the Scottish Highlands. At Bortle 3, the Milky Way is clearly visible and dozens of deep-sky objects are observable with binoculars.

Moon phase matters: A new moon (0% illumination) provides the darkest sky. A full moon floods the sky with light, washing out everything except planets and the brightest stars. The best stargazing combines a new or thin crescent moon with clear skies.

Practical tips: Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to dark-adapt after arriving at your spot. Avoid looking at phone screens (use a red-light torch instead). The hours after midnight are often best, as the atmosphere settles and any remaining cloud may clear.

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Cairn Gorm, Highland

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Nightly Outlook

Tonight · 20 Sep

Mon · 21 Sep

Tue · 22 Sep

Wed · 23 Sep

Thu · 24 Sep

Fri · 25 Sep

Sat · 26 Sep

Aurora Kp · 3-Day Forecast

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Dry paths or muddy boots?

Your local ground report

Rainfall & rain gauges Nearby observations

Rainfall over the last 7 days

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