Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Saturday's Forecast
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 28th March 2026
Last updated
Fri 27th Mar 26 at
4:20PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Feeling bitterly cold in gale-force west-northwesterly winds widely, severe gales on higher Scottish mountains. Extensive showers with hail, snow, chance of isolated thunder, locally grouping into more constant precipitation NW Highlands, also N England in morning; intensity of showers easing during afternoon.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales, severe on high tops. Hail and snow showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 50 to 60mph, strongest over higher Cairngorms, often 70mph exposed terrain with stronger gusts. A brief lessening by evening, then increasing again overnight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging mobility on higher mountains, very difficult conditions in exposure with gusts knocking you over. Significant-to-severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Hail and snow showers
Showers spreading from the west in the morning, mostly areas near and west of the A9, hail and snow falling to lower elevations, chance isolated lightning. Scattered showers extend eastward, tending to ease from west during afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Patches over tops, lifting higher
Varied cloud capping higher slopes in the morning above 800-1000m, lowest around showers near the A9. Lifting above higher slopes increasingly often into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun. Visibility often very good, but reduced at times to briefly very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C rising to 0C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
600m in morning, plus frost in sheltered glens around dawn, rising to 900m afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 29th March 2026
Last updated
Fri 27th Mar 26 at
4:20PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwest at first, soon westerly, 70-80mph dawn into morning, then near 50mph, sudden squally gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions for a time, remaining difficult over the mountains all day, mobility often challenging. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain, snow, then showery hail
A swathe of rain moving in from west around dawn, starting as snow on high terrain. A more intense band moving through in morning, abruptly turning back to snow to 600m, then showers with hail.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, then varied on tops
Covering higher terrain fairly widely above 800-1000m early in day, locally lower toward west. Then rising and more variable above 900m with breaks to tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sun develop, best in east. Visibility changing quickly, very poor in rain, appalling at least temporarily in snow, intermittently very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
+1 or 2C for a time, dropping to -2C afternoon. Wind chill feeling like -15C, nearer -20C on highest terrain.
Freezing Level
Briefly may rise just above freezing to upper slopes in morning, then soon lowering again, to 700-800m afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 30th March 2026
Last updated
Fri 27th Mar 26 at
4:20PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to northwesterly, 45 to 60mph, strongest toward north and in the morning, gusts over 70mph higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions, very difficult mobility especially morning, gusts could knock you over. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow showers mostly morning
Occasional showers of snow mostly areas near and west of the A9 in the morning. Becoming fewer well-scattered and lighter showers into afternoon, mostly rain below 600-700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high tops, clearer east
Patchy cloud over higher terrain above 900-1000m, most frequent on tops toward west in morning, tending to rise. Breaks to tops in east and more widely with time.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun, best toward east in morning. Visibility mostly good, briefly poor in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to +1C afternoon, then higher after dark. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -18C.
Freezing Level
700m from dawn, slight frost in sheltered glens; rising to 1000m afternoon, then lifting above the summits into night.
Planning Outlook
Changeable westerlies prevail onward into early next week, continuing gales over most high terrain. Milder air lifts above freezing to all tops into Tuesday with low cloud, drizzle and rain, most persistent west-northwest Scotland. Likely colder again in Scotland by Wednesday with some further hill snow likely. Some windows of better weather mid-late in the week as higher pressure is nearby - temperatures vary above and just below freezing on Highland tops, more often above freezing England and Wales tops. Some chilly air possible during early April, but drier conditions likely developing with time with more spring sunshine.