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
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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
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
Tuesday 10th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy rain and lowest cloud over southwest-facing hill groups. Cloud fairly extensive on hills, but higher bases and some breaks northeastwards. Gale-force winds on high terrain, speeds strengthening during day, later becoming widely severe upland gales; heavier rain arrives from west by evening.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Windy, gales on tops. Lowest cloud south, small amounts rain.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to on higher slopes southwesterly; increasing markedly with height to a gusty 40mph or by late afternoon 50-60mph. After dark, reaching 70-80mph, or stronger gusts higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Markedly increasing buffeting and wind chill with height. Balance and general mobility increasingly difficult on higher slopes. Deteriorating further after dark to become severe.
How Wet?
Rain rarely; wetter evening
Rain occasionally or rarely - very little in total. Sleet above 800m - briefly lower in morning. Rain develops from southwest after dark during evening, lasting a few hours, heaviest toward south.
Cloud on the hills?
Persistent nearly everywhere; lowest cloud base toward south
Generally persistent cloud above 600m, but northwards across Monadhliath and Cairngorms and across Deeside cloud base rising to 900m to 1100m - may sometimes clear summits accessed from and east of Braemar.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% south, to 30% north/east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sun mainly lower slopes north of about Dalwhinnie; sunnier Deeside. Very good visibility north, hazier south, more widely morning.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C - little temperature drop above 900m. Rising slightly after dark, then lowering to 0C overnight. Feeling like -10C during day directly in the wind; nearer -15C by evening.
Freezing Level
1000 to 1200m, rising higher up during day, particularly by evening. Then dropping later in the night ahead toward 800-900m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 11th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly up to 60mph post dawn; dropping to 40-50mph middle of day, strongest north Cairngorms. Increasing again into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect significant or severe wind chill and walking to be very difficult across the hills, any mobility challenging at first.
How Wet?
Hail and snow showers
Showers of hail and above 600m snow. Overall very few (and brief) reaching or east of Braemar, whilst most frequent west of A9 in morning. Risk whiteout. Into night, more persistent rain/snow tops.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensively covering higher areas.
In precipitation, cloud forming below 500 to 700m (generally lowest morning west of A9). Otherwise, by midday (as average cloud base tends to rise) between 800 and 1100m, highest eastern Cairngorms NP.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sunshine, particularly lower slopes toward eastern Cairngorms NP. Poor visibility in snow; otherwise slight haze, but frequently very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C. Will feel like -15C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
750m
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 12th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 50 to 70mph, gusts over 80mph on higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions, mobility challenging over exposed terrain from mid-elevations upward. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Early rain, then showery snow and hail
Heavy rain to upper slopes from before dawn finishing as snow as low as 700m. Then showers, most frequent toward Drumochter and southwestern Cairngorms, of snow above 600m, also hail.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent southwest
Banks of cloud often covering higher Cairngorms, more extensive with patches to 700-800m Ben Alder to Glen Garry. Some breaks to upper slopes to northeast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun breaking through mostly north of Cairngorms where visibility very good where often dry. Poor in snow and cloud at times especially southwest.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C or above at first, then -1C, later -2C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -18C.
Freezing Level
1000m or above up to dawn, soon lowering to 800m, later in day nearer 600m.
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled this week and through the upcoming weekend as low pressure systems pass near and north of Britain - strong west or southwesterly winds prevail, often gale-force to at times storm-force over the mountains. Some fluctuation of temperature and freezing level, but mostly below freezing over Scottish mountains, at times snow falling to lower elevations. Colder for all by the end of the week with widely lowering freezing level Thursday into Friday. Frequent precipitation most western mountains, accumulations of snow across the mountains, most substantial in western Scotland from Glencoe northwards. Quieter weather patterns indicated beyond mid-month as higher pressure builds.