Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Saturday'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.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 25th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy early, gale-force gusts in Scotland with significant wind chill. Morning rain in Scotland slips south into north England by midday, patchy sun breaks out in Scotland. Morning sun in Wales, rain reaching here through afternoon from north. Most rain on western hill groups where cloud will become extensive.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Morning rain, gales over tops; both easing, sun breaking out
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 45-55mph from dawn into early morning, stronger gusts approaching 65mph over high tops; lessening to 35-40mph middle of day, a slight northwesterly shift, 15-25mph later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking and marked chill at first, strongest gusts may knock you off your feet. Gradually improving during day, but at least strenuous conditions persist until the later afternoon.
How Wet?
Morning rain, drizzly showers, fading
Patchy rain from overnight spreads into early morning for a few hours of steady falls. Tending to ease to drizzly showers by early afternoon, mostly just north and west areas, fading out with time.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive early, rising, breaking
Shrouding hills fairly widely above 600-800m in morning, lowest toward west, and may briefly be more extensive to middle slopes. Base rises after rain passes, breaks increasingly reaching summit level, eastern summits often clearing cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% rising to 50%, or 70% east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, dull morning, misty over hills especially in west; improving visibility to become very good below cloud with a patchwork of cloud and sun afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 to 12C, warmest east, particularly near Deeside afternoon. Feeling near -5C directly in the wind in the morning, nearer freezing as the day goes.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 26th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-northwesterly 10-20mph, sometimes sustained 25mph over northern Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Periods of showery rain
Patchy rain drifts from the northwest, both wetter and drier windows through the day, but then risk of heavier afternoon showers later afternoon as well.
Cloud on the hills?
Often covering high terrain
From dawn, most terrain above 700-800m in cloud. Cloud will lift, some brief breaks towards higher terrain, but returning to or below 800m in rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sunshine. Varied visibility, often poor on high tops but very good when out of showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C rising to 10C south Cairngorms; little or no rise north Cairngorms.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 27th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15-25mph, trending slightly southwesterly and strengthening, top speeds 30-35mph over summits later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small at first, but walking becomes strenuous over summits with stability challenges and wind chill.
How Wet?
Afternoon rain
A few spots of light rain westernmost hills early, other areas dry. Through afternoon, rain increasingly setting in from Ben Macdui eastward, some heavier falls at times; eastern Cairngorms see only patchy rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive from west afternoon
Patchy banks of cloud above 800-1000m in the morning, eastern Cairngorm tops see some clear spells. Through afternoon, cloud increasingly extensive on high western terrain, finishing near 700-800m. Always higher bases east, occasionally above 1000m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% lowering to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun, very good visibility, and briefly more often sunny, then trending overcast through later afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 11C, or warmer east and staying elevated into night. Feeling near freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
West-northwesterly winds prevail this weekend and early next week, transitioning to southwesterly through mid-to-late week, bringing spells of rain, drizzle and some showery falls; low cloud persistent across hills, particularly in the west. Lower wind speeds for Scotland on Sunday, staying quite breezy England and Wales. Rather cool this weekend and Monday, single-figures Celsius on high terrain. More prolonged heavier rain possible for western Scotland Monday-Tuesday. More humid and warm into mid and late week, especially England & Wales which could become hot later in the week. More uncertainty later in the week as a slow-moving area of low pressure is nearby, but risk areas of heavy rain and showers into next weekend as well.