Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 16th November 2025
Last updated
Sat 15th Nov 25 at
3:49PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Snow flurries (rain lower down) arrive in northwest Scotland early and slip into the central highlands. Mixed cloud and sun for southern Scotland and England; only odd light showers on easternmost hills, many hills clear. Drizzly showery rain early in Wales, abating with cloud lifting to high slopes.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Odd snow flurries north, more frequent afternoon
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 20-25mph, or slightly less around dawn. Rising afternoon to 30-35mph upper Cairngorms, these stronger winds becoming more widespread around and after dusk, rising to 40mph over tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery winds will impede walking on exposed tops all day with significant wind chill. Fairly small effects on lower slopes at first but all areas increasingly affected, becoming widely strenuous into night.
How Wet?
Snow flurries develop from north
Occasional fleeting snow flurries northernmost areas in morning, then into afternoon a band of snow flurries above 700-800m coming in from north; rain lower elevations. Snow showers onto north slopes follow.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high Cairngorms and north, later more widely
Patchy cloud mostly over higher northern slopes of Cairngorms above 900m, only local fragments elsewhere. Cloud fills in above 600-700m from the north in afternoon rain/snow, these banks forming on higher southern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% north, to 80% south; later 40%.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Morning sunshine on southern slopes, generally cloudier north. Becoming cloudy more widely as rain arrives. Visibility mostly excellent, but reducing in showers, very poor in afternoon snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C. May briefly rise slightly afternoon then dropping into nighttime. Feeling like -7C, to nearer -10C or lower on higher Cairngorms in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Frost in glens, near or just below freezing most elevations early in day; typical freezing level 800-9000m by midday.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 17th November 2025
Last updated
Sat 15th Nov 25 at
3:49PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 25-35mph, at times stronger in northern and eastern areas. Tending to ease, 25mph over tops by nightfall.
Effect of the wind on you?
Comfort of walking affected, particularly east where strenuous with buffeting in exposure. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow showers northern slopes and tops
Frequent snow showers will drift onto the high Cairngorms and northern slopes, some snow blowing over the tops to southern slopes - snow to middle slopes. Showers will tend to isolate to eastern area later.
Cloud on the hills?
Coming and going over tops and northern slopes
Cloud comes and goes above 800m on and over the northern Cairngorms throughout the day. A few patches will pass further south. Westernmost hills and Monadhliath may become clearer later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun over high tops and northern slopes, sunnier south but high cloud builds. Variable visibility - often excellent but fast deteriorating in snow showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C (to -6C highest tops). Feeling as cold as -13C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
600m; frosts likely widespread into the glens at dawn.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 18th November 2025
Last updated
Sat 15th Nov 25 at
3:49PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Low confidence: generally westerly around 15-30mph, though variable direction and speed; risk much stronger.
Effect of the wind on you?
Effects may be fairly small at times but beware sudden strengthening speeds and direction changes.
How Wet?
Frequent or persistent snow
Showery snow across most terrain during daylight. Snow may becoming heavy and persistent for several hours over high ground and possibly to lower slopes too.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, possibly some variability
Hills shrouded above 600-700m all day, perhaps much lower where snow falls heavy. A small chance of odd higher breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Less than 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Likely overcast with near-zero visibility if snow sets in extensively and prolonged.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C
Freezing Level
Terrain likely widely frozen.
Planning Outlook
Cold air spreads widely across the country; staying below freezing over higher mountains most likely throughout the next week with morning frosts to lower elevations. Snow flurries move in onto slopes exposed to coasts; snow most frequent toward north of the Highlands with some locally more substantial accumulations over higher terrain. Sunny and dry for many away from the coasts on the northerly wind. Tuesday and Wednesday are more unsettled: broader areas of snow and rain pass southward with variable wind - navigation could become challenging in the Scottish Highlands on Tuesday with notable snow accumulations. West-northwesterly winds will likely return into next weekend, brining periods of rain and strong winds with intermittent drier, brighter spells.