Forty centimetres of snow fell overnight at Aviemore Mountain Resort in the middle of May, turning the Highland slopes white again just as most of Scotland had moved into spring. The resort sits in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, about 10 miles from Aviemore between Perth and Inverness.
The snowfall came as cold northerly winds from the Arctic continued to drive weather patterns across Scotland, with the Met Office saying temperatures remained below average for the time of year. Winter sports at the resort had already carried on beyond their usual cut-off date in April, but the latest snow pushed the season into even stranger territory for a place that also offers 30km of ski runs, a mountain biking park, mountain tubing and a zip line.
The numbers behind the cold underline how stubborn the weather has been. Scotland experienced its coldest May night for five years earlier in the month, and the Met Office recorded –6.1C at Altnaharra in the Highlands on 5 May, the lowest temperature logged there since 2021. Temperatures had been predicted to peak at over 22.5C in April before the cold weather returned, a sharp reversal that left the Highlands looking more like midwinter than late spring.
That contrast is the story of the season. Spring has mostly arrived in the lowlands, but winter is still clinging to the Highlands, where the resort’s elevation and location have left it exposed to repeated bursts of Arctic air. For businesses built around snow and cold conditions, the late spell has extended the usable season; for everyone else, it has been a reminder that Scotland’s weather can still turn quickly, even in May.
The question now is how long the cold can hold on. With the Met Office still pointing to below-average temperatures, the Highlands may get more of the same before the region can finally settle into true spring.
