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
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 24th December 2025
Last updated
Tue 23rd Dec 25 at
3:44PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy cloud on middle and high slopes of central and east Scottish Highlands, clearer west and north; high summits clear too. Most cloud in England stays east of the Pennines, little west including Lakeland where isolated to summits. Gusty wind in Wales, risk gales south; early cloud in the east will break.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Summits and northern slopes likely clear; light wind
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 10-15mph, some variability and gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small though nuisance gusts will be common.
How Wet?
Most hills dry
Some spots of fine drizzle where in cloud, largely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly middle and low eastern/southern slopes
Cloud banks variably covering many slopes of the southern Cairngorms/Deeside, largely below 900m and may be in several layers, including into the Glens.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90% (summits above cloud)
Sunshine and air clarity?
Most slopes sunny with good visibility, particularly on the high tops. More cloud lower slopes of southern Cairngorms and Deeside, a slight haze here.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Many south and east slopes -1 or 0C, locally up to 2C northwest of Aviemore. Temperature rises with height above about 1000m, some high sunny tops reaching 3C.
Freezing Level
Poorly defined, generally between 900-1100m, some frosts in sheltered glens/corries; high summits likely above freezing.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 25th December 2025
Last updated
Tue 23rd Dec 25 at
3:44PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 15-20mph, some gustiness.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small though turbulent gusts likely at all elevations.
How Wet?
Most hills dry
Some fine drizzle where in cloud Deeside/east Cairngorms.
Cloud on the hills?
Middle slopes south and east
Banks of cloud between 600-1000m on southern Cairngorms slopes, may be more sheet-like east Cairngorms and Deeside. High tops will be above the cloud layer, little cloud near/northwest of Aviemore.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% (tops above cloud layer)
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunny on the summits in very clear air. Least sun lower east slopes though visibility remains good out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or 0C, rise in temperature with added height, up to 3C on high summits; a few degrees warmer north and west.
Freezing Level
Poorly defined: locally in the east above 700m, frost in glens. Summits above freezing as well as north/west slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 26th December 2025
Last updated
Tue 23rd Dec 25 at
3:44PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
East to northeasterly or variable, 10 to 15mph or less, but tending to increase a little during daytime, local 20mph south.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small.
How Wet?
Precipitation not expected
Cloud on the hills?
Many tops clear, risk some cloud east
Patchy fog mainly glens or lower slopes. Some cloud banks may exist on some slopes in range 600 to 1000m, mainly east and northeastern areas, highest tops likely above this cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine best in west, and perhaps widely over higher tops, locally cloudier east. Visibility excellent, some mist lower down.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to 2C, small variation with height, some corries and glens stay colder, whilst highest tops may be slightly warmer.
Freezing Level
Frost in most glens, terrain at least partly frozen higher up, but air temperature likely above freezing on high tops.
Planning Outlook
Christmas Day will be dry: easterly winds are dominant, strongest in England and Wales and most cloud east of the high tops: may be fairly sheet-like sometimes, though variably more extensive or broken, best of sun breaks in western areas. Turning cooler too, the coldest air in England and Wales with freezing levels reaching as low as 300-600m in east Wales, though poorly defined. High pressure stays put to the north into the weekend, maintaining dry weather, easterly winds, and mixed cloud and sunshine, most of the cloud in eastern areas. Temperatures will be variable, becoming milder for a time in England and Wales, with poorly defined freezing levels.