Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 14th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 13th May 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Another cold day for May with considerable chill factor in exposure to brisk northerly winds. Showers focused on north-facing areas in the morning, but forming increasingly widely, falling as snow on Scottish Munros, at times higher tops elsewhere; heavy bursts with hail, isolated thunder.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cold and windy. Frequent showers with hail, snow on tops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 25 to 35mph, at times 40mph higher Cairngorms, squally gusts around showers. Increasing widely during afternoon into evening, gusts over 50mph northeastern areas.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill for mid-May. Walking often strenuous on exposed high terrain, frequent buffeting gusts at times. Becoming more challenging later in day.
How Wet?
Showery, snow and hail
Showers most frequent in northern areas in the morning, merging into more constant precipitation locally north Cairngorms, heavier at times. Showers becoming widespread; some hail with snow above 700-800m.
Cloud on the hills?
Bases varied, persistent north in morning.
Cloud bases varying through day, particularly in and out of showers, but banks may be fairly persistent on tops above 900-1100m, tending to rise higher during afternoon. Best breaks in south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% rising to 70% afternoon.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Skies often filled in with cloud limiting the sun to glimpses. Visibility very good, but lowering to become poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to 2C, dropping to -2C into evening. Feeling like -10 to -15C directly in wind.
Freezing Level
900-1000m in morning, rising to 1100m afternoon, slightly higher south. Then dropping to 700-800m from dusk.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 15th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 13th May 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 40mph at dawn, stronger gusts toward east, easing to 25mph afternoon, later 15mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous start with significant wind chill and buffeting, but hour by hour easing down, to become mostly small later in day.
How Wet?
Scattered snow and hail showers
A scattering of brief snow and hail showers through the day, most frequent northern areas early in day. Snow falling above 500m initially, rising to 900-1000m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly north, lifting higher
Banks of cloud over the tops, concentrated across the northern Cairngorms in the morning, covering higher slopes for a few hours here; tending to lift higher to only graze highest tops afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% rising to 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Skies often filled in with cloud, limiting the sun to fleeting glimpses. Visibility very good, briefly lowering in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or -2C at dawn, but lifting to +1 to 3C into afternoon. Feeling like -10 to -15C in early wind.
Freezing Level
700-800m at dawn, will lift to 1000-1200m, lowest north Cairngorms.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 16th May 2026
Last updated
Wed 13th May 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
May be NW'ly 20mph at first in north, otherwise variable below 10mph for several hours. Later SW'ly 15-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but feeling rather chilly if exposed to breeze on high terrain.
How Wet?
Risk a little rain late in day
Dry much of the daytime. Likely only later evening, risk of patchy rain extending into the area from the southwest.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Brief fragments form around upper slopes in morning, lifting and clearing. Up to dusk, some patches may drift onto southwestern tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine best early in day, high cloud tends to thicken from west to cover the sky. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C rising to 4C afternoon. Feeling nearer -5C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
700m plus frost in glens at dawn. Rising to be just above freezing to highest summits during afternoon.
Planning Outlook
Becoming gradually less cold into the weekend as northerly winds ease and then switch toward west-southwesterly. Fewer showers by Friday with sunny spells. A dry start to Saturday, frost at dawn where skies are clear. Rain and lowering cloud moves onto west coast areas during Saturday, persistent rain later western Scotland. By Sunday and Monday, areas of showery rain will pass eastwards during the daytimes, leaving western areas generally drier with cloud breaks afternoon-evenings. South-southwesterlies then prevail for a few days next week, with rain at times Tuesday and Wednesday on western hills, particularly Scotland. A drier and warmer theme later in the week as higher pressure builds.