Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday's Forecast
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
Strong warm sunshine
High UV levels, feeling very warm when ascending, beware of dehydration and sunburn.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
Strong warm sunshine
High UV levels, feeling very warm when ascending, beware of dehydration and sunburn.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 24th June 2026
Last updated
Tue 23rd Jun 26 at
4:23PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Extensive hot sunshine and unusually humid - beware sunburn and dehydration. England and Wales as well as east Scotland see early low patchy fog clearing; highest tops of east Scotland may be at or above the cloud layer at dawn. Some cloud clings to Scotland's west coast, breezy over far northern tops.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Early cloud banks clear for very warm sunshine
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, mostly 10mph and often less, but may approach 15mph high tops at times, or to 20mph in the early morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Negligible, though may be breezy on the high tops in the early morning.
How Wet?
Rain not expected
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Varied banks of cloud from middle slopes down into the glens at dawn, mostly western hills; high Cairngorm plateau starts above cloud. After sunrise, cloud banks lift to higher terrain, then dissipate for cloud-free summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny, occasional banks of high cloud come and go. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
11 to 13C at dawn, rising to a very warm 18 to 20C, warmest to the northeast.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 25th June 2026
Last updated
Tue 23rd Jun 26 at
4:23PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly between 10 and 20mph; perhaps particularly gusty at times.
Effect of the wind on you?
Generally small, although there may be sudden buffeting at times both on higher areas and some lower slopes.
How Wet?
Risk thunderstorms
Risk scattered thunderstorms giving locally torrential rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Mountains substantially cloud free; patches forming near rain
Some early ragged low cloud at dawn soon dissipates for cloud-free mountains. In thunderstorms, some ragged fog patches reforming at varied heights.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun through high level cloud. Very good visibility although some haze, notably towards Deeside.
How Cold? (at 900m)
A very warm 17 to 20C, warmest towards Moray Firth where valleys may approach 25C; humid.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 26th June 2026
Last updated
Tue 23rd Jun 26 at
4:23PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally east-northeasterly 10-20mph, variable and often gusty around showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be often fairly small, but notable buffeting gusts around showers.
How Wet?
Thundery showers, risk prolonged later
A scattering of showers, heavy bursts with risk of thunderstorms too. Through afternoon, rising risk of showers clustering together into prolonged thundery downpours, greatest risk central highlands.
Cloud on the hills?
High terrain largely covered; variable
High tops probably stay in cloud most or all day, varied lower banks, some clear windows in between layers, but also moments where more extensive around rain. Through afternoon, increasingly extensive where rain sets in.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% lowering to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun through high cloud, later more overcast. Good visibility, deteriorating as rain sets in.
How Cold? (at 900m)
15 to 17C, or warmer for a time near and north of Ben Avon. Humid.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Exceptionally warm and humid most mountain areas until later Friday; valley temperatures approaching the low-to-middle 30s in England and Wales, with hill temperatures approaching the high 20s at least. Scotland will be slightly cooler, though temperatures will still reach the low 20s on many slopes. Scattered thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, with a risk of extended torrential thunderstorms on Friday afternoon in northern areas. Over the weekend, progressively less warm as fronts begin to come in off the Atlantic, bringing a strengthening wind and bands of rain and low cloud, particularly affecting western mountains. Into the following week, Atlantic westerlies will dominate, with an indication of high pressure to the south producing dry and bright windows.