Can we expect lambing snow in Scotland this spring?

While April and May can have some lovely warm weather, it equally can still have some cold blasts and snow – although you hope that these become a bit less potent the further on in spring we go.

There’s always an eager rush to the garden centres as soon as the first bit of warmth hits, and I’ve seen it happen so many times over the years. The excitement is quickly followed by a severe frost, leaving those freshly-bought bedding plants looking droopy and a little upset. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake myself!

Cold spells and even snow occur fairly often in April, but they still surprise most people, whereas farmers are fully aware of the risk of ‘lambing snow’ and the havoc it can bring.

The big snow of April 2013

I bring it up every year because it was such a big event, but in late April 2013, Arran and Kintyre were hit by severe blizzards, which trapped many people in their homes for days. Pylons coming down caused power loss to thousands of homes, and thousands of newborn lambs were buried and killed by massive snowdrifts.

So, while it’s not the norm for spring, big snow events are still possible at this time of year.

I can even remember a school trip in early May being in jeopardy because of a late snowfall – but the good news is that these cold snaps are usually short-lived at this time of year, and any snow on the ground in May tends to only stick for a few hours due to the strength of the sunshine by this stage.

Can it snow at any time in April?

Yes, snow has been recorded to fall somewhere in Scotland on every day of April. This is just taking into account low-level places as it wouldn’t be fair to include mountains as we all know it snows up there even in the summer!

The snowiest April day

For Scotland, April 24, 1981, was the snowiest April day, with snowfall recorded at over 100 weather stations from Shetland to the Borders.

Which April date is snow most likely?

If you’re betting on an April snowfall in Scotland, April 4 would have been your best pick! Historical records show that snow has fallen somewhere in Scotland on this date 43 times since 1918 – making it the most statistically likely April day for the white stuff.

On which date is snow least likely in April?

If you’re planning an early barbecue, then April 24 is a good bet – it’s the day that snow is least likely to fall in Scotland, with just 15 snowy days since 1918. Strangely, it’s then more likely to snow between 25-30 April.

What is the deepest snow ever recorded in April?

It’s no surprise that the deepest April snow on record was in the Highlands, at Glenmore Lodge – perched along the mountain road between Aviemore and the Cairn Gorm Ski Centre. On April 8, 1975, a staggering 47cm of snow lay on the ground—nearly half a metre!

Not far behind, Grantown-on-Spey recorded 41cm on April 1, 1994, proving that even as spring unfolds, winter can still have a sting in its tail.

Further south, where snow is rarer, some of the most notable April snowfalls include Penicuik, which was blanketed with 20cm on April 1, 2010, and Livingston, where 15cm lay on April 2, 1976—a reminder that even the central belt isn’t immune to a late-season snow surprise!