Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
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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.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 12th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 11th Aug 26 at
3:50PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Blustery on high terrain in Scotland, gusts pushing downslope in places. Scattered showery rain in the west, a few heavy bursts; some showers push east with time. Dry with hot sun and little wind for England and Wales, just some patchy high cloud in the north; beware risk of sunburn and dehydration.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Blustery in exposure; rising risk of cloud and showery rain
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph; notably strongest high tops, sustained speeds to 35-40mph with a risk of stronger gusts; easing somewhat later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Will increasingly impede ease of walking with height; sudden gusts, in places blowing downslope off higher terrain, making walking more strenuous with wind chill despite warm temperature.
How Wet?
Odd showers, mostly midday/afternoon
The morning is likely dry, small risk of odd showers here and there, then a rising risk of more frequent showers as midday approaches into afternoon with local heavy bursts; many hills will continue to have dry windows.
Cloud on the hills?
Little early, increasingly over tops afternoon
A few passing caps over high tops in the morning but the hills will be substantially cloud free. Caps will increasingly fill in as banks covering the high tops into afternoon, a few breaks still occurring; lowest bases reaching 800-900m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% lowering to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent sunshine. Excellent visibility although slight haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
12C rising to 17C. Northernmost Cairngorms and Monadhliath may rise a degree further. Feeling like 7C in strongest direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 13th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 11th Aug 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly between 15 and 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly fairly small
How Wet?
Most rain west, risk more widely afternoon
Occasional bursts of rain, possibly heavy rain west of A9. Elsewhere, bursts of rain only rarely, but a risk of more frequent showers afternoon with a rumble of thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Confined to higher areas
Conditions will vary, with breaks above 1050m, perhaps sometimes all clearing. But particularly in and after rain, cloud forming near 750m. Through day trend toward the lower cloud extending slowly east into or across Cairngorms NP.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sunshine, mainly east of A9. Varied visibility, at times good but poor where rain and cloud occur.
How Cold? (at 900m)
15C rising slightly, up to 17C eastern Cairngorms.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 14th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 11th Aug 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Bursts of rain, risk thunder east
Often raining over Cairngorms from morning, some heavy bursts forming. An easing tendency from the west with time, but heavy bursts persist far east with a risk of thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, shrouding high terrain
From dawn, may be fairly extensive to middle slopes. A lifting trend, particularly later in the west, but bases unlikely clear above 1000-1100m, and return lower in rain. Around heavier rain east, patches form to lower slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Small chance glimpses of sun, more likely overcast. Very good visibility where below cloud, but poor on high terrain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
13C lowering to 11C; always a degree milder east.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Thursday remains dry and exceptionally hot across England and Wales; very dry ground conditions. Rain will begin to spread across Scotland through Thursday, this slipping into England and Wales on Friday and bringing a fresher breeze with its passing. Though weekend, high pressure is never far away to the southwest, keeping conditions generally drier and brighter across England and Wales, though a northwesterly flow will bring some cloud to western hills. Scotland is more often cloud with patchy rain in the north and west. Mixed conditions early next week with patchy rain and sunny bursts here and there. With time, a trend towards stronger westerly winds with a few spells of more widespread rain; forecast confidence is low beyond the weekend.