Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 19th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Most mountain terrain remains frozen. Gusty southeasterly wind with significant chill factor. Some snow flurries towards southwest of Highlands with low cloud banks, clearer northward. Light snow fading Peak District and Pennines, low cloud persists here. Generally dry Wales but increasingly windy.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Strong gusty wind. Largely dry, some cloud banks mainly south.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35-40mph, strong gusts, approaching 50mph over tops and to the north; shifting southerly later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous with severe wind chill; buffeting in exposure making it challenging to stay on your feet.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Rare if any light snow grains.
Cloud on the hills?
Cloud banks near Deeside
Cloud banks cling to high slopes near Deeside, high tops of Cairngorm plateau may often be above the cloud layer but the wind pushing ragged patches towards the tops as well.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -2C, some local variability. Feeling like -15 to -18C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Widely frozen from dawn, thaws to 300-400m, locally higher to the north.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty southwesterly 25-35mph, soon strengthening, 40-55mph, strong gusts and a westerly shift with time.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking becoming challenging with significant wind chill on high terrain; maintaining stability a constant effort.
How Wet?
Periods of snow, increasingly as rain
Snow spreads widely through the morning, rain to low slopes. Precipitation breaks into a showery regime, best of dry periods to the north and east, and the rain level rising to higher slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
An extensive layer of cloud shrouds the Cairngorm plateau with bases often reaching middle slopes to the south and towards Drumochter. Some variability with higher breaks, best chance of higher breaks on northernmost slopes afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Likely cloudy, bright moments here and there afternoon, best north. Visibility often poor, but excellent during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, rising, reaching +1 or +2C. Feeling like -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m, though variable, some low frosts at dawn; rising with time to just the upper Cairngorm plateau.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 21st February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35 to 50mph; gales up to dawn may briefly lessen, then tending to re-strengthen into afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect arduous walking conditions over exposed high terrain most of day, perhaps a brief relative lull in morning.
How Wet?
Rain frequent or persistent
Rain on and off, most persistent toward and west of the A9, starting as sleet or wet snow on high tops. Smaller amounts northeast areas. Risk of widely persistent rain developing with time, heaviest west.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Covering higher terrain all day, bases 600 to 800m, most persistently low Ben Alder to Glen Garry, briefly higher breaks toward northeast Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, mostly dull, locally brighter skies for a time north/east Cairngorms, weak glimpses of sun. Hazy, visibility widely poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C rising to 4C. Where exposed to stronger winds on tops, feeling like -10C.
Freezing Level
1100-1200m from dawn, rising above the highest summits.
Planning Outlook
Toward the weekend, a switch to southwesterly winds, bringing milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales with substantial thawing, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall and refreezing on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels onward into early next week. Often windy with periods of upland gales. Some spells of heavy rain over all western hills and low cloud frequently covering the hills.