Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday'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.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
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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.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 2nd February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong and gusty east-southeasterlies, gale-force in places, speeds generally increasing over England & Wales with time. Snow frequent or persistent for eastern Scottish hills, rain lower ground; whiteout over higher areas with blanket cloud. Largely dry west coasts with higher and more broken cloud.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Windy, gusts to gale-force. Snow and whiteout on hills.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 30-40mph, lowest speeds early morning toward south and west of Cairngorms. Generally rising speeds and gusts afternoon, later reaching 50mph around higher tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded over exposed terrain most of day, in places more arduous with buffeting gusts and significant wind chill; tending to deteriorate later.
How Wet?
Snow south and east Cairngorms
Showery snow affecting the south and east Cairngorm plateau much of the day, merging into more constant falls; rain below 600m, though later snow starting to fall lower. Patchy snow/rain will reach Drumochter at times, more frequent snow here afternoon. Least precipitation Monadhliath, but some flurries reach here also at times.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive south and east
Fog over the Cairngorm plateau most high terrain south and east of high summits, lowering to middle slopes during snow. Bases reaching towards 700m around Drumochter sometimes too. Highest breaks north Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun in the Monadhliath where visibility good when dry. Otherwise cloudy, whiteout conditions at times in fog over snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, dropping to -3C by dusk. Feeling like -12 to -15C in the wind.
Freezing Level
800m tending to drop during afternoon to 500-600m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 40 to 55mph, very gusty in places over high Cairngorms and on downslopes west of high terrain.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, more difficult in places, frequent buffeting affecting balance; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow most continuous east
Frequent to persistent snow over the Cairngorms and areas to the south and east, falling to most lower slopes, sleet only lower Deeside. Patchier flurries westward, least toward Monadhliath.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding higher terrain fairly widely, from 600 to 800m in eastern areas, 800 to 1000m west from Cairngorm plateau.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, dull in east. Hazy lower down, whiteout higher areas in snow and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen from lower slopes upward, around 300-400m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 4th February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 30 to 50mph, very gusty. May start to ease and turn southeasterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions with frequent buffeting gusts, significant wind chill; possibly improving from south.
How Wet?
Snow continuing east
Snow most persistent over the eastern Cairngorms NP, some constant heavier falls possible, sleet only lower slopes toward Deeside. Patchier westwards, very little much of Monadhliath.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, lowest east
Cloud shrouding the mountains widely, from mid slopes upward in east and southeast Cairngorms NP. Some higher bases toward Strathspey, local break.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull or misty. Whiteout over tops in fog and snow, locally better visibility western areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, rising slightly during day. Wind chill feeling like -12 to -17C.
Freezing Level
400 to 600m, tending to rise from south. Onward into evening likely to rise variably higher up.
Planning Outlook
Easterly winds prevail this week, strong to gale force over many hills for sustained periods. Freezing levels will vary, but in the Highlands rarely above 800m away from the west coast, at times sub-zero from 400-500m upward. In England and Wales only occasionally dropping below 600m, and at times just above freezing to high tops. Further snow focused on eastern Scottish mountains, with additional accumulations and drifting; very little further west. Some periods of hill snow for England and Wales during midweek. Cold easterly patterns are expected to continue onward into mid February, though higher pressure to the north may see reduced precipitation amounts, always driest with highest cloud in west.