Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday'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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
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
Thursday 11th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 10th Dec 25 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gale force winds across most hills and mountains, severe gales high Scottish tops particularly morning in west, powerful gusts downslope in places. Low cloud and some drizzly rain west, mostly dry east/northeast. More persistent rain develops for western Scotland afternoon onward.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Upland gales, severe high tops. Patchy rain moving in later.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 45 to 60mph, up to 70mph at times higher Cairngorms, some moderating of speeds during afternoon. Lowering further onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Widely arduous walking over the hills, but more difficult conditions in places on higher mountains, some strong gusts downslope. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Little or no rain until later
Spots of rain in the wind at times, but amounting to little, toward east more often dry all day. During afternoon through to dusk, some steadier rain develops from west.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering many tops, lowest south/west, breaks north
Banks of cloud over higher slopes, lowest Drumochter around to areas accessed from Braemar, but clinging over most of Cairngorms. Best breaks northward. Lowering in west in rain later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% dropping to 20% later
Sunshine and air clarity?
A little sun mostly toward north in morning. Slight haze possible, but mostly good visibility below cloud, reducing in rain toward southwest.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C, slight drop into night to 2C. Feeling near -10C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, then lowering to 1100-1200m onward into night.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 12th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 10th Dec 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-25mph from dawn, strengthening during day to 35-45mph over tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous, later arduous over the mountains. Wind chill becoming considerable.
How Wet?
Morning rain passes east, dry afternoon
Rain before dawn with snow on the high tops passes to the east, clearing most areas soon after sunrise. Rain lingers longer in the east, then no rain afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Isolating largely to the high Cairngorms
High Cairngorms in cloud from dawn with some ragged patches lower down, these soon dissipating. Much of the cloud will clear though caps will drift over high Cairngorms at times, a few lower banks possible on southern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny on northern and lower southern slopes. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C, lowering to 1C; staying slightly warmer for a time east hills. Feeling like -13C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
1200m at dawn, gradually lowering to 900-1000m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 13th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 10th Dec 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly, strengthening during daytime from 40-50mph to 70-80mph, risk stronger gusts toward evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions from mid-elevations upward, increasingly any mobility difficult, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain developing, heavier later west
The morning may escape substantially dry, particularly eastern areas, some spots in the wind develop from west, then into afternoon rain becoming more persistent, heavier later Drumochter area.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive, lowering
Varied banks of cloud mostly toward west and south Cairngorms in morning, patches over high tops, but clearer northeastward. With time, tending to fill in across all high terrain, lowering to mid-slopes south/west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, high cloud thickening. Visibility good in morning, reducing later, poor if in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C rising steadily to later reach 5C. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
1000 to 1200m up to dawn, gradually rising, above all summits with time; possible slight frost some glens at first.
Planning Outlook
Staying unsettled into the weekend and beyond as southwesterly winds prevail and low pressure systems pass to the northwest of Scotland; sustained gales over the mountains, severe or stormy for periods. Temperatures only just below freezing intermittently on higher Scottish tops, even here will experience spells above freezing with thawing, any lying snow patchy, but beware some icy surfaces on the very highest tops where some refreezing occurs. Rainfall will be frequent and heavy for periods, sometimes showery with hail. Expect very wet ground conditions and further flooding of streams and some rivers.