Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Friday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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
Friday 5th June 2026
Last updated
Thu 4th Jun 26 at
3:49PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Blustery start, gale-force gusts in N England and Scotland; easing. Chilly with showers in W Scotland, showers more widely over the highlands afternoon with sunny interludes. Early showers in England and Wales ease by afternoon, only well-scattered showers remain over Wales and S Pennines, plenty sun breaks.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Very windy and cool, easing; afternoon showers
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30-40mph early, stronger gusts over tops at first approaching 50mph. Easing as morning goes, shifting southwest afternoon with speeds settling near 15-25mph. Shifting more southerly into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking likely arduous over tops at dawn; balance challenged with significant wind chill. Easing through the day, may just be a nuisance breeze by later afternoon.
How Wet?
Some patchy rain west, afternoon showers more widely
Some patchy rain across northern areas just at dawn soon clears northward, leaving behind some spotty rain towards Monadhliath and Drumochter. Largely dry eastward for several hours, scattered showers developing afternoon, perhaps more frequent for a few hours.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high tops, regularly clearing
May be fairly extensive above 1000m just at dawn (and before), but soon breaking up as morning gets going and bases lifting to just the high Cairngorm plateau, the tops largely clear by afternoon except for a few passing caps, this more likely for a few hours around showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, perhaps sunnier for a few hours around midday. Excellent visibility, sometimes deteriorating afternoon in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C to start, rising to 6 or 7C, some chance to 8C easternmost Cairngorms. Feeling like -5 to -7C in strongest early wind, this effect easing.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 6th June 2026
Last updated
Thu 4th Jun 26 at
3:49PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
S-SE'ly, high uncertainty of extent of stronger winds - likely in range 25 to 40mph, but risk up to 50mph for a time.
Effect of the wind on you?
Beware of changing conditions - risk of difficult walking at least part of the day, but some less challenging periods likely too.
How Wet?
Risk of rain developing, soonest south
Possibly substantially dry conditions for a good part of the day, especially more northern areas, some patchy rain may affect southern hills - uncertain, but risk becoming more persistent and widespread later.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowering from south to be extensive
Cloud banks mainly southern Cairngorms NP in the morning, clearer north of high tops perhaps for a few hours, but cloud increasingly coving over high Cairngorms widely, filling and tending to lower with time.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% dropping to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun mostly weak due to high cloud, mainly north; more likely becoming overcast. Visibility very good where dry, but reducing in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7 or 8C afternoon, mildest towards Moray Firth. Feeling below freezing in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 7th June 2026
Last updated
Thu 4th Jun 26 at
3:49PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 30-35mph most of the day, some variability both above and below this range; early gusts over high terrain.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure most of the day with wind chill, risk arduous periods with balance challenges.
How Wet?
Patchy rain
Patches of rain drifting from the southwest through much of the day, mostly light in nature, driest on northern slopes to the east. Some risk of more sustained falls with heavy moments towards the west later.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain
Banks of cloud at varied heights in the morning, mostly from 600m upward, soon beginning to lift with lower banks dissipating through morning to just banks over terrain above 1100-1200m. May deteriorate somewhat in the west later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun through high cloud, becoming increasingly weakened. Variable visibility, very good for periods out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, rising to 9C, locally 10C northeast of high Cairngorms. Feeling below freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled over the weekend as southwesterly flow draws several areas of rain across the country, best of dry slopes to the northeast, and perhaps a drier Sunday for England and Wales through blustery, some uncertainty in detail. Generally unsettled next week too: showers affect most hills Monday and Tuesday, lowest cloud and most persistent rain along western slopes, but with some breaks as well with sunshine. Timing of most unsettled weather remains uncertain, but some risk of a deeper area of lower pressure from Wednesday or later brining widespread strong winds, probably gales over many summits, with prolonged heavy rain. Temperatures probably trending milder again into the weekend, pressure may begin to rise in the south, but this uncertain as well.