Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today'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.
Clear over snow cover
Excellent or superb visibility, but be aware that paths over the mountains may be obscured by lying snow.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
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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.
Clear over snow cover
Excellent or superb visibility, but be aware that paths over the mountains may be obscured by lying snow.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 21st November 2025
Last updated
Fri 21st Nov 25 at
7:48AM
Summary for all mountain areas
Terrain widely frozen after hard frost; snow cover across much upland terrain, or more substantial to lower slopes northern Highlands. A front moves into Scotland, snow then rain in west, cloud lowering. Elsewhere dry, sunshine weakening. Wind strengthening to gale force Scottish mountains.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wind increasing, becoming upland gales. Snow flurries later.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West turning southwesterly, strengthening during daytime from 15-25mph early morning to early-mid afternoon 40mph, risk after dark 50mph for a time by dusk. Starting to ease into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Conditions generally deteriorate, with time more strenuous, risk later difficult on higher mountains, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow flurries moving in from west into afternoon
Substantial snow cover across the mountains to most lower slopes. Dry morning, largely dry in easternmost areas much of daylight. Snow flurries develop from west into afternoon, more persistent by dusk near/west of A9. After dark, turning to patchy rain up to some higher slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little, later lowers from west
Patchy mist some glens and perhaps corries at first, otherwise hills largely clear, much of the daytime in east. Toward dusk, patchy cloud lowering onto tops from west, more extensive by evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% toward dusk dropping to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud in morning becoming weak, then obscured. Visibility excellent, reducing if snow develops, possibly locally poor late in day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4C, slow rise, by evening up to 0C. In stronger wind feeling like -15C.
Freezing Level
Terrain frozen all day to lower slopes, but later in day starting to rise erratically just above freezing point toward some upper slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 22nd November 2025
Last updated
Fri 21st Nov 25 at
7:48AM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20 to 25mph, occasional 30mph higher tops. May become more variable toward and beyond dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Feeling noticeably breezy with marked wind chill; may start to affect ease of walking on higher exposed terrain.
How Wet?
Rare brief flurries
Often dry, little if any precipitation all day eastern areas, but occasional light showers toward west, falling as snow flurries above around 700m, mostly spots of rain lower slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting variably to higher areas
Varied low cloud banks from dawn into morning, becoming mostly confined above 800-1000m, though some lower patches may remain on more southwestern slopes. Breaks best north/east of Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of sun mostly near Glenmore. Misty areas in morning, then visibility mostly good or locally becoming very good below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C. Feeling like -8C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
900 to 1000m, though terrain lower down at least partly frozen.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 23rd November 2025
Last updated
Fri 21st Nov 25 at
7:48AM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Uncertain forecast detail: Likely easterly in range 25 to 40mph, speed may vary; very gusty in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect blustery to challenging conditions, risk considerable buffeting and wind chill over most mountains.
How Wet?
Rain and hill snow mostly south
Risk frequent or more persistent rain, or snow above 700-800m, greatest likelihood toward the south and east of Cairngorms NP, patchier northwestward.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Shrouding the mountains most or all day, from 600-800m upward in east and southern areas. Higher bases northwest around Strathspey, may lift above 1000m at times.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy. Visibility good where dry, but risk poor or very poor due to snow or rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 0C. Feeling like -15C if exposed to stronger wind.
Freezing Level
800 to 1000m, plus possible frost lower down in the morning.
Planning Outlook
Changes into the weekend as less cold Atlantic air moves in, but higher mountain terrain at least in Scotland staying frozen with snow cover. A complex area of low pressure circulates over Britain through the weekend, retreating to leave briefly northeasterly winds by Monday; areas of rain and some upland snow, mainly Scotland and high tops in northern England. Winds will vary markedly, some lulls, but risk periods of gales. A brief ridge of high pressure gives a lull by Tuesday, then a shift to milder southwesterlies is likely to bring spells of rain and some thawing to higher levels.