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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 15th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 14th May 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Remaining cold, near to freezing all day on higher tops. Strongest northwesterly winds in the morning and toward eastern Scotland giving significant chill factor. A scattering of mostly brief showers with snow and hail, less intense than recent days. Cloud lifting above many summits, occasional sun.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cold and windy, easing with time. Brief showers, snow & hail.
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 40mph with gusts over 50mph on higher Cairngorms at dawn, strongest for longest toward east. Easing gradually, to 25-30mph early afternoon, 20mph or less by evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous start with significant wind chill and buffeting, but hour by hour easing down, still very blustery into afternoon, but becoming mostly small later in day.
How Wet?
Scattered snow and hail showers
A scattering of brief snow and hail showers through the day, most frequent northern areas early in day. Snow falling above 500m initially, rising to 900-1000m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly north, lifting higher
Banks of cloud over the tops, concentrated across the northern Cairngorms in the morning, covering higher slopes for a few hours here; tending to lift higher to only graze highest tops afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% rising to 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Skies often filled in with cloud, limiting the sun to fleeting glimpses. Visibility very good, briefly lowering in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or -2C at dawn, but lifting to +1 to 3C into afternoon. Feeling like -10 to -15C in early wind.
Freezing Level
700-800m at dawn, will lift to 1000-1200m, lowest north Cairngorms.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 16th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 14th May 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
NW'ly 20mph at first in north, otherwise variable below 10mph for several hours. Then SW'ly 15-20mph, later 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but feeling rather chilly if exposed to breeze on high terrain, becoming more blustery later.
How Wet?
Rain develops from west later
Dry much of the daytime, particularly in east. Toward evening, patchy rain extending into the area from the southwest, becoming more persistent Drumochter area, later more widely.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any until late
Brief fragments form around upper slopes in morning, lifting and clearing. Into evening, some patches drift onto southwestern tops, filling in then more widely over tops up to dusk.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90% until late in day.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine best early in day, high cloud tends to thicken from west to cover the sky. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to +4C afternoon. Feeling nearer -5C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
600-700m plus frost in glens at dawn. Rising to be just above freezing to highest summits during afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 17th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 14th May 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 30mph, but may reach 40mph at times on higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting to affect comfortable walking on exposed high terrain, risk very blustery in places. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Heavy showers develop
A few hours in the morning largely dry, perhaps longer especially eastern areas. Increasing risk during afternoon of showery bursts forming, becoming heavy, extending northeastwards. Sleet on high tops. Risk of hail & thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Confined to high tops with breaks
Fragments of cloud around some upper slopes in the morning, dispersing or lifting. Much cloud then above hills, though around showers will drop onto high tops, ragged patches to 800m in places.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun in morning giving way to building cloud. Visibility very good, but reduced in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C rising to 4C afternoon. Wind chill feeling near -10C on high tops.
Freezing Level
1100m early morning, plus pockets of frost in glens at dawn; rising above freezing to highest summits into afternoon.
Planning Outlook
A shift toward west-southwesterly over the weekend brings a gradual rise of temperature. A mixed weather story with some rain and lowering cloud moving in from the west into Saturday afternoon. By Sunday and Monday, some showery rain, passing eastwards during the daytimes, generally improving afternoons in western areas. Risk by later Monday of rain moving into Wales from the southwest. Damp south-southwesterlies then prevail for a few days next week, with rain at times Tuesday and Wednesday, most on western hills, particularly Scotland. A drier and warmer theme later in the week as higher pressure builds.