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
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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 17th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Apr 26 at
3:31PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong, gusty wind all day, gales in Scotland, risk severe coastal northwest. Persistent early rain in Scotland breaks to heavy showers, frequent west, clusters spreading east. Several hours of heavy rain sweeps east across England and Wales; driest start Pennines, and dry windows later in Snowdonia and Lakeland.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Morning rain, afternoon showers; gusty gales
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40-45mph, some variability and gusty, most powerful gusts approaching 55mph over high Cairngorm plateau; may trend towards slightly lower speeds for a time afternoon, and trending southwesterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous in exposure likely all day, significant wind chill and maintaining stability requiring notable effort, particularly on exposed high tops where strongest gusts will make mobility difficult.
How Wet?
Persistent morning rain breaks to afternoon showers, often heavy
Often raining/drizzly from before dawn, dry moments northern slopes. Rain gradually sets in more persistently with heavy falls for several hours, though may stay patchy to the north. Breaking into frequent afternoon showers, at times clustering together with heavy falls and hail.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive morning, high bases north, some afternoon breaks
Terrain above 900m in cloud through morning, often lower on southern slopes, filling into middle slopes as least as rain sets in, likely to 500m or lower Drumochter to Deeside. More variable to the north, some high breaks in the morning, then a better chance of high breaks between afternoon showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and often dull with poor visibility on southern slopes through morning. At times better visibility north, with increasing chance of sun glimpses.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C, may rise to 6C northern Cairngorm slopes. Cooling several degrees overnight. Feeling as cold as -8C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits during daylight, lowering onto the high summits overnight, towards 1200m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 18th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Apr 26 at
3:31PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 25 to 35mph, to 40mph morning. Shifting northwesterly, easing, 20-30mph, but gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery conditions affecting comfortable walking in exposure, some improvement. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Increasingly showery, hail, snow tops
Scattered showers in the morning mostly toward and west of the A9, but developing increasingly widely, into the afternoon; some heavy with hail, also snow falling on higher Munros, later toward 800-900m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high tops with breaks
Patchy cloud drifting over higher slopes in the morning, though soon widespread for several hours. More broken afternoon, cloud varying over tops, mostly above 1000m during showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Several cloudy hours in the morning, then brief bursts of sun the rest of the day. Visibility varying, often very good, but poor during showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C, starting nearer 2C west, and a slight drop toward evening. Feeling like -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
1200m or above, then by later in daytime may drop closer to 1000m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 19th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 16th Apr 26 at
3:31PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 15-20mph early, shifting northerly and easing to 10-15mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
May feel breezy in exposure early in the day, but easing to small effects.
How Wet?
Mostly dry
An occasional snow flurry will drift in from the north, eastern Munros most vulnerable, but a largely dry day on most hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Some banks high eastern tops with time
Fog banks at various heights from dawn, only thin mist below 600-700m, some patches in glens. Bases soon lift after sunrise, all summits likely clear for several hours, but then a rising risk of cloud banks returning above 1000-1100m east of Ben Macdui.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%, reducing to 70% eastern high summits
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun. Excellent visibility, occasionally deteriorating briefly in flurries.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C rising to 2 or 3C, staying coolest north and later eastern areas too.
Freezing Level
900m in the morning, though some local lower frosts towards central highlands. Lifting to 1200m or higher.
Planning Outlook
Saturday stays showery, heavy at times with hail, most frequent and heavy in Scotland and northern England. Sun between the showers, conditions improving from the south, and then the weather more widely settled on Sunday: light or negligible wind, often sunny with chilly morning temperatures, though widely rising by at least a few degrees. High pressure north of Scotland next week facilitates east-to northeasterly winds, which may be quite blustery and gusty at times. Generally cooler temperatures too. Occasional light showers drifting from the east, notably early week, snow flurries on higher terrain. Variable freezing levels, likely lowest early in the week, and also some valley frosts at dawn. A mix of cloud and sunshine, most often sunny to the west of high hill groups where temperatures more mild.