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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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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 rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 21st May 2026
Last updated
Wed 20th May 26 at
3:59PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Morning rain in Scotland passes north, afternoon drizzle, rain returns in evening to central/west Munros; slick rock surfaces. Early rain soon clears English hills, afternoon drizzle in Lakeland. Morning drizzle in Wales fades, hills increasingly clear. Strong gusty wind too, local gale-force gusts. Warm Pennines and Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Morning rain and strong gusty wind; afternoon drizzle
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph at dawn, notable gusts including downslope. Speeds rise for a few hours towards 30-40mph, most powerful gusts may approach 50mph briefly. Settling back towards 25-30mph as afternoon goes.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking with buffeting gusts often challenging stability, including downslope early. For several hours, walking more arduous, greater effort needed to maintain stability and notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Morning patchy rain, afternoon drizzle
Patchy rain arrives soon after dawn, affecting most hills for several hours. Rain easing around midday, leaving behind some fine drizzle in cloud clinging to the Cairngorm plateau, some lower drizzle towards Drumochter too. Patchy rain returns for several evening hours, mostly west.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive early, some afternoon breaks
Cloud soon shrouds high terrain and lowers, 600-900m, lower south where ragged patches to glen level. Bases lift as rain eases, to 900m and above, higher terrain north Cairngorms, perhaps above 1100m. Some summit breaks north Monadhliath too, but then filling in again central highlands as evening rain starts.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast with largely poor visibility through morning, some glimpses of sun breaking out to the north and east where visibility improves; poorest conditions Drumochter towards Braemar.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C early, little change with height. Rising to 11 or 12C, mildest north and east slopes of Cairngorms, locally 13C where in sun. Feeling just above freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 22nd May 2026
Last updated
Wed 20th May 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 30-40mph; gusty, downslope too. Easing, to 20-30mph, staying gusty on tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking, particularly early, balance affected in gusts including low terrain; feeling chilly. Easing somewhat.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, later substantially dry
Patchy rain here and there in the morning, this largely fading for dry hills; some risk of spotty rain continuing to affect Monadhliath/west Cairngorms at times, and some lingering drizzle in cloud as well.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied low banks early rising to high terrain
Fog banks at various heights southern and western hills at dawn, into glens; northern Cairngorms largely clear, but tops probably covered. Cloud lifts upslope though morning, 800-900m by midday, and further lifting afternoon, mostly above 1100m. Northeast aspects often stay clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy, some sunny glimpses north but weakened by high cloud. Very good visibility where out of fog.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C rising to 11 or 12C, mildest north Cairngorms. Feeling just above freezing in early wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 23rd May 2026
Last updated
Wed 20th May 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, gusts approaching 35mph over high terrain. Some risk of rising speeds later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded in exposure most of the day, buffeting gusts affecting balance and walking at times strenuous.
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Small chance an odd spot of drizzly rain affecting westernmost hills, but likely entirely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable early, lifting to summits
Variable cloud banks, mostly south and west hills in the morning; tops probably shrouded. Cloud lifting and breaking by afternoon, just passing banks on summits, and perhaps largely clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, longer windows too, but weakened by high cloud. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising to 9 or 10C; always mildest east, locally 11C Glen Avon. Feeling near freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Pressure rises into the weekend, facilitating south-southwesterly flow; much milder temperatures arriving, likely warm in England and Wales with wind easing. Staying blustery in north Scotland, gusty too, including to lower slopes early; still feeling chilly on high Scottish tops. Patchy rain and hill cloud will continue to affect Scotland as well, most often in the west. Becoming dry and sunny England and Wales, some early low fog possible, particularly on aspects near the Irish Sea, but this dissipating soon after sunrise. Higher pressure is indicated into next week as well with hot temperatures: valleys approaching the mid-to-high 20s. Some hill cloud, mostly north and west, but most hills seeing plenty of sunshine. Only rare spots of light rain if any.