Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Friday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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
Friday 10th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A few morning snow flurries in west Scotland, then dry and sunny for most. Cloudier in Wales, some light afternoon rain; high cloud gradually weakening the sun more widely. Wind strengthens from the west afternoon, most notably in Scotland where reaching gale-force in exposure by evening, severe in west around dusk.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Chilly sunshine; trending windy afternoon, gales into evening
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-30mph at dawn, stronger gusts eastern tops. Easing in morning, shifting southerly, 10-15mph up to noon. Restrengthening afternoon, southeasterly, 30-40mph (strongest towards Drumochter), 50mph by dusk; reaching 70mph into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery at dawn, but effects soon fairly small through early afternoon. A rapid deterioration through afternoon, to strenuous walking with significant wind chill, further deteriorating into night.
How Wet?
Substantially dry during daylight.
Precipitation unlikely until late in the day, when patchy rain and snow arrives from the south, falling as snow above 600-700m, and mostly confined to Drumochter/south Cairngorm slopes, though increasingly frequent and more widespread overnight.
Cloud on the hills?
Cloud builds on high terrain late in the day, more into night
Some patchy mist in glens/corries in the morning, this soon lifting and dissipating for cloud-free hills into afternoon. Late in the day, patchy cloud returns to high terrain as precipitation returns, approaching 800m on southern slopes around nightfall; northern slopes likely stay clear until after dark.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny through morning, some fair weather cloud building afternoon, then high cloud arriving from the south late in the day. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C, rising to +1C, locally warmer on northern slopes, including northern Monadhliath. Later, feeling like -13 to -15C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
400-500m from dawn, frost in glens too. Gradually lifting to 900-1000m, locally higher northern areas of Cairngorms and Monadhliath.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 11th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 25-35mph, quite variable, and stronger at dawn, 50mph over high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced all day, a chilly feel in exposure; more challenging conditions at first.
How Wet?
Snow showers, most south
Snow at dawn, rain below 500m, tending to break into showers through morning, at times more frequent and heavy with hail with a risk of isolated lightning. Late afternoon may see a window of dry weather.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud breaks into banks on high tops
Fairly extensive over the high Cairngorms at dawn, lowest bases to the south, around 700-800m. Beginning to break from the west into passing banks around showers, base lifting to largely above 1000-1100m, clear periods likely, but only brief highest tops until later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A cloudy dawn, bursts of sun soon breaking from the west, best north. Very good visibility, though more often poor on southern slopes in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Variable between -1 to +1C, coolest early. May rise to 2C northern Cairngorms. Feeling like -10 to -12C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Variable, around 600-700m, tending to rise, perhaps towards 900m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 12th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, uncertainty about peak speeds, likely varying 30 to 50mph, chance 60mph+ for a time higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect often arduous walking with powerful squally gusts knocking you off balance. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Increasingly heavy showers, hail, snow
Showers most common toward south and west Cairngorms in morning, but increasingly widespread with time; heavy bursts with hail, snow at times falling toward 600m, risk of isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying over higher tops
Cloud often above 900m, for periods confined to only patches on highest tops with good breaks. Around showers, lowering over higher slopes more widely, patches toward 700m briefly.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent bright sunshine, sunniest toward north and east in the morning. Visibility changing suddenly from very good to briefly appalling in snow/hail and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1 or 2C. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
Mostly 1000m or above, may be briefly lower, particularly around showers.
Planning Outlook
Showers and sunshine this weekend, windy with gales at times, and cool temperatures bringing snowflakes to some middle slopes. Variable weather regimes next week: Atlantic west-southwesterly winds likely dominant, with low pressure to the northwest of the country, bringing cloud, rain, and mild temperatures, often followed by sun, showers, and cooler temperatures; rain will be increasingly common to the high Munros, but the snowfall level will lower too during periods of cooler weather, and perhaps to high Lakeland fells, though any snow unlikely to accumulate here. Next weekend, indications of high pressure increasingly building, bringing drier and brighter conditions with mild days, though the risk remains of occasional rain and cooler temperatures, notably in Scotland.