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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 8th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 7th May 26 at
4:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Near freezing all day on higher Scottish mountains, considerable chill factor in the north with brisk winds, though tending to ease. A few showers, snow flurries on Scottish tops, but a fair amount of dry weather for the Highlands. Lighter winds England, Wales & southern Scotland, localised heavy bursts of rain forming.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Strongest winds lessening. Chilly but often dry, isolated showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, strongest north Monadhlaith in the morning where gusty. Shifting westerly and easing to 15-25mph, lowest speeds toward evening, turning northwesterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced, strenuous northern areas with marked wind chill early in day; easing, but nuisance breeze on summits.
How Wet?
Rare showers
Remnants of overnight showery rain and summit snow fades up to dawn. Then largely dry, chance of an odd brief light shower.
Cloud on the hills?
Largely lifting above the summits
Covering terrain above 1000m at dawn, lower bases south slopes, to 800m. Lifting through morning to clear the summits for much of the afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun, a veil of high cloud especially toward south. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 to 4C, locally a degree or so higher eastern areas afternoon, then falling to -1C into night. Feeling like -10C if exposed to stronger wind early in day, but improving.
Freezing Level
Lingering just around the high tops at 1200-1300m, but rising just above early afternoon, then lowering a little by evening. Dropping further to 800m overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 9th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 7th May 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
North to northwesterly 15 to 20mph, perhaps often less toward Drumochter.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Local light showers
Scattered brief light showers, mostly afternoon, later toward east. Falling as a brief flurry of snow on the Munros.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting, clearing most summits
Occasional patches of cloud on upper slopes in the morning, patches may come and go for a few hours northern areas, but tending to lift above most or all tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sun, tending to cloud over. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C rising to +2C.
Freezing Level
800m plus frost in glens at dawn. Lifting toward 1100-1200m afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 10th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 7th May 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly - timing uncertain, but likely to strengthen to 30mph, risk 40mph higher Cairngorms later in day, turning N-NW'ly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Prepare for considerable wind chill. Likely to become more blustery, may become more strenuous later on tops.
How Wet?
Showery rain develops, later snow tops
Dry in the morning, perhaps well into afternoon, but increasing risk of showers developing from the northwest, becoming more persistent rain later afternoon onward, sleet then snow high tops. Smaller amounts southeastward.
Cloud on the hills?
Forming increasingly on tops
Many hills largely clear in the morning. Some patches forming around higher slopes, then cloud banks tending to form onto many high tops more often, soonest toward north and west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% dropping to 40%.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny start, but cloud building from northwest, clouding over with time. Visibility excellent, then reducing in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C rising to +3C, but from sunset may fall quickly from north toward -2C. Feeling much colder as wind increases.
Freezing Level
800m plus frost in glens at dawn. Up to 1300m afternoon, but from dusk risk a rapid drop from north to 600-700m.
Planning Outlook
A chilly outlook into mid-May, with higher Scottish mountains staying near or often below freezing point as northwesterly air prevails. Higher tops in England and Wales also dropping intermittently to freezing point. Wind-speed varying day-to-day, but prepare for often considerable chill-factor on all mountains. Some frost overnight into valleys when skies are clear. Broadly showery weather over the next 10-day period, plus some fronts bringing persistent rain mostly to northwestern Scotland, often falling as snow on mountain tops, sometimes to below 600m. Drier intervals too, some days with fewer showers and broken cloud lifting above the summits, varying locally day-to-day.