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.
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.
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 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.
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
Wednesday 25th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Feb 26 at
4:54PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Mild for the time of year; freezing levels above all summits, snow still lying on high Munros but continuing to thaw to the summits. Windy, strongest near Irish Sea and south Scotland with buffeting gusts. Rain and extensive hill cloud in west Scotland, passing east and into England and Wales with time.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Fog and drizzle high tops and south/west; blustery
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph; gusty, including to middle slopes.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking at times strenuous and feeling cool in exposure. Notable buffeting affecting stability, including to middle elevations.
How Wet?
Drizzle high tops, some patchy rain later
Often drizzly on the high Cairngorm plateau in cloud, some drizzle reaching further downslope to the south and west, near Drumochter and high Monadhliath tops. With time, some patchy rain begins to drift from the west. Northern slopes receive the least rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, higher bases north of Cairngorm plateau
Extensive cloud from middle slopes upward along the southern Cairngorm plateau and much of the Monadhliath hills, reaching the lower slopes during rain. Variable north/east of Ben Macdui breaks up towards 900m, but also lower banks passing here.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few brighter moments towards the northeast, where visibility locally good. Otherwise overcast and dull with poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C; only small change with added height. Locally 6C on slopes north and east of Ben Macdui. Lowering several degrees overnight. Feeling as cold as -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits during daylight with thaws to high terrain, though snow coverage still fairly widespread on highest Munros.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 26th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Feb 26 at
4:54PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 30-35mph from dawn, strengthening with time, reaching 45-55mph, possibly stronger on high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking at least strenuous and often arduous with considerable buffeting in exposure and significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Pulses of rain/snow, dry periods
Bands of showery rain sweep west-to-east, snow falling above 900-1000m, or higher. Dry periods between the rain, though a rising frequency in the west later.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, clear summits during dry periods
During pulses of rain, cloud shrouds much of the high Cairngorm plateau, the lowest bases reaching 800m towards central highlands during heaviest rain. Dry periods see cloud clearing, likely to the summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Variable cloud, likely bright with bursts of sunshine between pulses of rain. Very good visibility, though very poor if in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C, some local variability by a degree, more widely 3C for a time. Feeling like -10 to -15C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
1100m, some variability, likely lifting for a few hours, but then lowering overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 27th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Feb 26 at
4:54PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Low confidence: generally westerly 15-30mph, notable variability, strengthening later; possibly lower speeds for a time.
Effect of the wind on you?
Effects may be locally fairly small but trending towards impeding effects with a notable chill.
How Wet?
Some rain, increasingly as snow
Periods of rain are likely, snow to the high tops in the morning, the snowfall level lowering with time, a risk of a broader area of rain too but also dry periods will happen. Any heavy falls likely only brief.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high tops with breaks, variably lower
Cloud mostly isolated to the high Cairngorm plateau, summits breaks possible with some variable banks drifting lower too; a risk of more extensive high terrain cloud at times, greatest risk east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, a few bright periods, which may increase in frequency. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
+1 or +2C from dawn, a lowering trend but timing uncertain, to -1 or -2C by night. Feeling near -8C if strong wind occurs.
Freezing Level
Likely just high terrain from dawn, exact level uncertain, but a lowering trend with time, towards 600-800m by nighttime.
Planning Outlook
Thursday will be windy with a swathe of rain affecting all areas at some point. A low pressure core is likely to affect the country on Friday, but detail is highly uncertain: there is a risk of rain and strong wind for central and southern areas, a general cooling trend. Snow returning to the Scottish Highlands, the snowfall level lowering into nighttime. A fast-moving ridge of high pressure leads into Saturday, then a return to west-southwesterly wind with bands of rain passing west to east through the weekend into the following week. Mixed conditions are indicated in the following week, with low and high pressure competing for dominance: freezing levels will vary, high Scottish terrain often at or below freezing, the level occasionally lifting to and above tops.