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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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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.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 15th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 14th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A fresh-to-strong westerly breeze across Scotland brings showery rain frequently to the northwest, cloud covering many western hills; fewer showers and higher cloud bases eastward. Moderate northwesterly breezes for England & Wales, cooler than recent days, early showers mostly fade with cloud lifting.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Breezy, cool on tops. A few showers mostly west; cloud breaks.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 25-30mph in morning with notable strong gusts early morning toward 40mph higher areas. Slightly lowering speeds during day to 20mph during afternoon, slightly less by evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, strong gusts in the morning will affect stability, trending toward smaller effects. Feeling rather chilly in exposure on high terrain.
How Wet?
A little rain and showers mostly west
Patchy rain drifts onto the hills from the northwest, generally light with dry windows. Some more frequent showers near and west of the A9 in afternoon. Largely dry morning south/eastern Cairngorms, then a few brief showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high tops, breaks best east
Varied banks from dawn lift, to banks over the Cairngorm plateau with breaks off the summits, more often clear in east. Caps graze the tops where rain arrives, and sometimes filling in over high terrain above 1000m toward west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% west, to 80% east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, trending towards cloudier conditions from the west. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C, rising slightly, up to 9C eastern hills. Feeling near or below freezing in the wind, coldest in the morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 16th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 14th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15-20mph from dawn, soon easing and becoming variable direction.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small.
How Wet?
Some drizzle and light showery rain
Damp and drizzly over high summits at times while in cloud, with a risk of some showery rain drifting from the northwest at times. Some chance of heavy bursts in afternoon, but many places avoid these.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly tops, variably more extensive
Much of the day, cloud banks mostly just high tops, some more extensive banks early in the day. Breaks will occur, but also a chance of more extensive layers over high terrain during periods of rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, sometimes cloudier. Excellent visibility away from cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 9C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 17th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 14th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South then southwesterly, strengthening from 15mph or less at first, to often 25mph middle of day, then by evening 40mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting small, but increasingly affecting ease of walking, later risk more challenging over high terrain.
How Wet?
Rain develops, becomes persistent
Largely dry start, then spots of rain develop from west during morning, becoming more persistent rain into afternoon, some heavier falls setting in for southwestern areas. Rain continues into evening, patchier with time.
Cloud on the hills?
Forming increasingly and lowering
Some varied cloud banks early in the day over mid to upper slopes, clearing for a time. Cloud lowering from west over high terrain in rain, filling in increasingly and tending to lower to 600-800m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% dropping to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Early weak sun gives way to thickening high cloud, then overcast. Very good visibility, reducing to poor as rain develops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C. As wind increases, feeling nearer to freezing where exposed on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Westerly weather patterns prevail into the new week bringing generally unsettled and cooler conditions - single-figure temperatures typical on the Munros and high tops elsewhere. On Monday, extensive rain spreads across Scotland, heaviest in the west. Winds strengthen, risk reaching gale force on many hills later on Monday, staying blustery widely into midweek. Rain extends south over England and Wales by Monday night into early Tuesday. The rest of the week likely sees showery rain common for all areas as low pressure dominates toward the north, the rain most persistent in western Scotland, but odd heavier bursts passing eastward, with a chance of thunder, especially later in week.