Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Tuesday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
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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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
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
Tuesday 24th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread gales, severe early in Scotland. Showers in west Scotland, pushing east, turning snowy and setting in for a time. Near constant rain for Lakeland and Yorks Dales, becoming heavy with a rising flood risk. Rain spreads widely across England and Wales later, wind strengthens in Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales, severe early; showers, increasingly as snow
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 50 to 70mph, peak speeds in morning over high tops. A general easing trend, possibly to 20-30mph for a time afternoon, but always the risk of powerful gusts and returning higher speeds.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions widely in the morning, mobility very challenging on higher terrain in exposure with severe wind chill. Effects will ease, though walking remains impeded in exposure; always the risk of powerful gusts.
How Wet?
Snow and hail showers, most frequent west
A scattering of showers spreading from the west, becoming more frequent and heavy during afternoon, falling as snow toward lowering elevations; some hail may mix in too. For several afternoon hours, snow setting in more persistently from Drumochter eastward towards Braemar, southern Monadhliath too (rain below 600m).
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops, more extensive south and west afternoon
Cloud base varying above 800-1000m, base tending to rise for a time, but then lowering again, more often capping tops in showers. Clearer tops more often east of Ben Macdui. Cloud will be more extensive from 800m upward south and west afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun in the morning, best in the northeast. Trending overcast afternoon. Visibility very poor at times, appalling in snow and cloud; intermittently good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
+1C at first, lowering to -2C afternoon, lowering another degree or two evening into nighttime. Feeling as cold as -15 to -18C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Dropping overnight from northwest to 1000m early in day, to around 800m by noontime, lowering 500-600m into nighttime.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 25th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 40 to 50mph, varying speeds with squally gusts around showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, frequent buffeting, often arduous over higher exposed terrain. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent hail and snow
Showery snow and hail falling to lower slopes, most frequent toward the north and west, but extending increasingly across all the region. Risk of isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying over tops
Cloud base constantly changing, will come and go all day above 900m, frequently capping high tops toward north, patches at times to 700m. Briefly clearing tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sun, most common toward Deeside in morning. Visibility intermittently very good, but appalling at times in showers with brief whiteout over tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -4C, slight rise into afternoon. Wind chill often feeling like -20C high tops.
Freezing Level
400m from dawn, lifting to 600m, slightly higher away from showers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 26th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 25-40mph, strongest wind high eastern Cairngorms. Easing, shifting westerly, 15mph later afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure with wind chill, stability challenged in the east. Effects easing to fairly small.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
Risk of a few early light snow showers, but likely dry. Late in the day, some snow/refrozen rain arrives to westernmost mountains, turning to rain and spreading eastward into nighttime.
Cloud on the hills?
Little cloud expected
At dawn, patchy cloud may cling to the high tops, this soon lifting for cloud-free hills. Late in the day into night, cloud will lower to the tops again, further lowering.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine in the morning, gradually weakened by high cloud, overcast by evening. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-5C, rising to -3 or -2C, then to several degrees above freezing overnight. Feeling like -15C in early wind.
Freezing Level
300-400m, some lower frosts likely too. A slight rise, then sharply lifting above the summits for several overnight hours.
Planning Outlook
Cold, wintry conditions across all mountains into midweek - significant chill factor from gale force west then northwesterly winds. Hail and snow showers extend southwards into Wednesday, by then below freezing on all tops above 600-700m. Fewer showers by Thursday for many, though further snow then rain moves into western Scotland. Temperature and freezing level then varying as changeable westerlies prevail for Scotland through the weekend into early next week with periods of upland gales widely, accompanied by spells of rain, hill snow and hail showers; some windows of drier weather more often affect England & Wales.