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.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of 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.
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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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.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Hazy, some fog banks
Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of 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.
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
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Thu 19th Feb 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Extensive gale-force southwesterlies. A rise of freezing level toward higher tops in Scotland, where early hill snow soon turns mostly to rain. Lifting above freezing to highest tops in England & Wales by dawn, a few hours of heavy rain. Clusters of heavy showers follow into all western areas with hail, a chance of thunder.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Upland gales soon arrive. Snow then rain, showery bursts later.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly soon strengthening from 30mph at dawn to 40-55mph, strong gusts and a westerly shift with time.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking soon widely challenging with significant wind chill on high terrain; maintaining stability a constant effort.
How Wet?
Hill snow then rain, later a few showers
Patchy snow spreads from west around dawn, soon persistent near/west of A9, turning more to sleet or rain to increasingly higher elevations in morning. Then fading, replaced by showers afternoon, mostly rain, locally hail, most frequent toward west.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
An extensive layer of cloud shrouds the Cairngorm plateau with bases often reaching middle slopes to the south and towards Drumochter. Some variability with higher breaks, best chance of higher breaks on northernmost slopes afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Likely cloudy, bright moments here and there afternoon, best north. Visibility often poor, but excellent during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, rising, reaching +2C. Feeling like -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Variable 600 to 800m at first, patchy frost some north/eastern glens. Rising with time to just the upper Cairngorm plateau around 1100-1200m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 21st February 2026
Last updated
Thu 19th Feb 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35 to 50mph; gales up to dawn briefly lessen in morning, then tending to re-strengthen into afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect arduous walking conditions over exposed high terrain most of day, a brief relative lull up to middle of day.
How Wet?
Rain frequent or persistent
Rain on and off, most persistent toward and west of the A9, starting as sleet or wet snow on high tops. Smaller amounts northeast areas. Widely persistent rain developing later in day, heaviest west.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Covering higher terrain all day, bases 600 to 800m, most persistently low Ben Alder to Glen Garry, briefly higher breaks toward northeast Cairngorms in the morning.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, mostly dull, locally brighter skies for a time north/east Cairngorms, weak glimpses of sun. Hazy, visibility widely poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C rising to 4C. Where exposed to stronger winds on tops, feeling like -10C.
Freezing Level
1100-1200m from dawn, rising above the highest summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 22nd February 2026
Last updated
Thu 19th Feb 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40 to 55mph, squally gusts in showers, over 60mph on higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions over the mountains, frequent buffeting making walking arduous in exposure. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showery rain and hail, snow high tops
Showers spreading in from the west, frequent at times west of the A9, fewer toward Deeside, locally heavy with hail, snow falling above 900-1000m.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops
Most cloud often above 900m, most persistent western Cairngorms, but widely frequently capping higher slopes above 1100m. Some breaks best toward east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, mostly toward east. Visibility often very good, but reduced to occasionally poor in showers in west.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1 or 2C. Wind chill feeling like -12 to -15C on tops.
Freezing Level
1000 to 1200m, highest toward east.
Planning Outlook
Southwesterly winds brings milder conditions into this weekend - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales with substantial thawing, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall and refreezing on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels onward into early next week. Likely colder later next week, back below freezing on higher terrain for a run of days. Often windy with periods of upland gales. Some spells of heavy rain over all western hills and low cloud frequently covering the hills.