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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Bright sunshine
Beware of sunburn from bright spring sunshine, despite feeling cool in any breeze on higher terrain.
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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.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Bright sunshine
Beware of sunburn from bright spring sunshine, despite feeling cool in any breeze on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 7th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy mist in some sheltered valleys at dawn, soon dissipating for sunshine and cloud-free hills, locally hazy. Mild temperatures, including to summits, particularly Wales where summits may be several degrees warmer than mid-slopes. High cloud builds, thickest north and west, some rain northwest Scotland later.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wind strengthens, powerful gusts; sunny, high cloud builds
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southeasterly 25 to 35mph at dawn; very gusty and a strengthening trend, 40-50mph into evening with powerful gusts over summits and downslope to the north, perhaps lower slopes too.
Effect of the wind on you?
Variable, in places fairly small early in the day, but sudden buffeting gusts will make walking and balance challenging, not just on tops; more consistently arduous with time.
How Wet?
Rain not expected until late/night
Toward dusk, thickening high cloud may give odd spots, locally a brief burst of rain possible over Monadhliath. After dark, risk of rain more widely, but likely patchy, a small risk of a heavy burst.
Cloud on the hills?
Hills clear
Patchy mist some glens at first. The mountains very likely clear all day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Above 90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine, thin high cloud slowly building, gradually thickening and later may cover the sky. Visibility excellent but some haze to the east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising toward 10C, up to 12C on sunny northern slopes. Little change with added height. Directly in the stronger wind, feeling below freezing despite warm air.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Possible slight frost some sheltered glens at dawn.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 8th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 15-25mph, strongest higher Cairngorms; some variability, approaching 30mph summits later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small in places, but risk uncomfortably gusty over higher terrain, may become more blustery.
How Wet?
Little or no rain
Substantially dry, an odd patch of rain/some drizzle around Drumochter. Later, greater risk of some patchy rain moving into western areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Some patches, likely clearing
Patchy cloud around some slopes at varied heights from dawn, becoming confined to higher tops and tending to thin and largely break up, though may briefly return to the high tops for brief periods afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun, perhaps more sun afternoon. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, mildest north and east where may locally rise to 10C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 9th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty westerly 20-25mph, gusts approaching 30mph occasionally.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be fairly small at times, though blustery on high Cairngorm plateau and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Morning rain, afternoon showers west
A band of rain passes east across all areas through the morning, falling as snow on the high tops, breaking afternoon into scattered snow showers around and west of the A9.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud, lifting to high terrain with breaks
Fairly extensive over high terrain at dawn, to middle south and western slopes. Breaking from the west to mostly above 1000m, breaks off the high tops, then cloud returning in showers; eastern tops may stay clear for longer stretches.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast early with poor visibility in rain, bursts of bright sunshine breaking out afternoon with very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 to 5C at dawn, mildest east, cooling from the west to 0C. Feeling like -10C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Just above the summits at dawn, soon lowering from the west, to 800-900m afternoon/evening, locally higher east.
Planning Outlook
Variable temperature in the near term: warm on Wednesday for England & Wales at least, becoming cooler over western Scotland as a cold front sweeps eastward; more widely cooler Thursday with freezing temperatures on high terrain and snow showers; milder by Friday with some sun in England and Wales, settling on near-average temperatures over the weekend. A changeable mix of weather during this period with some rain and showers with snow or hail on the hills, and often windy late week into the weekend in Scotland. More settled England and Wales but a few windy, wet spells will affect these areas too. Into the following week, first indications of high pressure building, winds shifted easterly brining some rain to eastern areas but often sunny with lighter wind and near-average temperatures.