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.
Snow
Snowfall continuous or frequent over the mountains, beware of conditions becoming challenging on higher terrain. At lower elevations falling as rain.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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.
Snow
Snowfall continuous or frequent over the mountains, beware of conditions becoming challenging on higher terrain. At lower elevations falling as rain.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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
Saturday 7th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Continuing with the east to south-easterly airflow with hills shrouded in extensive low cloud with widely murky conditions. Patchy snow across the Highlands tending to ease, best breaks again toward the northwestern coasts of Scotland. Showery rain extending north through Wales into northern England.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 25 to 40mph at first, tending to lower to 15 to 25mph and veer into south-east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking fairly arduous at first with significant wind chill and buffeting, but tending to ease down from the south.
How Wet?
Patchy snow, may fizzle out later.
Patches of snow, rain below 500m, fairly persistent hills from Deeside to Drumochter, but may fizzle out later in the day, leaving isolated spots or flurries.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest bases in east.
Persistent fog nearly everywhere from lower slopes up, although near and west of A9, most cloud above 450 to 600m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Almost nil
Sunshine and air clarity?
Dull and misty and murky, with very poor visibility in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around -1C.
Freezing Level
Poorly defined: 500 to 900m: generally only slow temperature drop with height.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 8th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Between east and south typically 15 to 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small
How Wet?
Little or no precipitation
Rain, or above 600 to 900m snow here and there, mostly amounting to very little, although possibly widespread precipitation at dawn clearing only slowly north during day.
Cloud on the hills?
All or nearly all mountains persistently covered.
Persistent fog most of region, but by afternoon perhaps breaks to 600m and here and there a few higher slopes briefly clearing or between cloud layers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Almost nil
Sunshine and air clarity?
Widely dull, misty or murky.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C
Freezing Level
800 to 1050m. although nearly all terrain frozen.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 9th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 15 to 30mph, perhaps 35mph at times over the Cairngorm Plateau.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and gusty for periods, especially over the Cairngorm Plateau. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy rain and upland snow
Patchy rainfall and above 700 to 900m snow, focused again across hills accessible from Deeside down to Drumochter Pass. Small amounts.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, and widely to lowest slopes.
Very poor with extensive low cloud covering the hills, widely to lower slopes from hills near Deeside and down to Drumochter. 600-900m Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Remaining overcast. Widely misty and murky. Very poor in snowfall.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to 1C
Freezing Level
800 to 1050m. but nearly all terrain frozen to lower slopes.
Planning Outlook
Overall little change in conditions over the coming week: the mountains extensively foggy, precipitation from time to time (again concentrated on eastern Scotland and southern and eastern Wales) and often strong southeast or easterly wind. However, a slight rise in temperature will result in thawing of lying snow from southern Scotland southwards and some thawing up to around 900, sometimes 1050m Scottish Highlands - although the return of low freezing level toward the middle of next week.