Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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
Thursday 30th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cool, windy, and showery in Scotland. Gales and heavy showers pass west-to-east across the highlands, showers most frequent with lightning risk north. Starting breezy with rain over the Pennines and Wales, this clearing east for sun, a few odd showers northwest England. Mild-to-warm England and Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Increasingly showery and windy, gales for a time
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly, starting 15-20mph, strengthening during morning to 30-35mph, shifting westerly with sustained speeds over tops approaching 40-45mph for several afternoon hours, stronger gusts approach 60mph. Easing later afternoon into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
May start fairly small, but deteriorating to make walking challenging, considerable buffeting as showers arrive and significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers, setting in for a time
Largely dry start, a few showers westernmost hills. Increasingly showery through morning, clustering into broader areas of rain with heavy bursts with risk of lightning, mostly north and east areas. Easing back to showers later.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting for a time, filling in around rain
Varied cloud banks over hills in the morning, lifting to higher slopes and clearing for a time. Lowering again as showers become frequent, a period of fairly extensive cloud above 900-1000m with lower banks. May break up again late in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% lowering to 30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny through morning, patchy cloud increasingly forming, mostly overcast and dull for several afternoon hours. Visibility very good when dry, reduced to poor around heavier rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C, rising slightly, locally to 8C eastern hills, but cooling through later afternoon, to 5C evening. Feeling like -5C in exposure on summits, approaching -10C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 31st July 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20-25mph, some lighter speeds at times, but stronger gusts around showers, to 40mph over tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting ease of walking on high terrain, gusts affecting balance on exposed tops at times. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers develop, risk of lightning
Dry much of the morning, scattered showers forming from the west, increasingly widely during the afternoon, heavy bursts drift east into evening. Risk of thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high terrain with summit breaks
Patchy cloud around some mid to upper slopes early in day, lifting mostly to the Cairngorms plateau with breaks above the tops. Variable around showers, lower ragged patches during/after rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny in the morning, clouding over into the afternoon. Visibility very good, reduced in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, reaching 9C afternoon in east. Feeling below freezing in the wind on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 1st August 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-30mph, some variability, strong gusts forming as showers develop.
Effect of the wind on you?
Locally fairly small, but ease of walking often impacted on high terrain, some more strenuous moments with wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers
Chance of scattered showers across all areas most of the day; greatest chance midday and afternoon with some heavy bursts towards the north east.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly upper west terrain
At dawn, varied banks of cloud above 600m, mostly western Cairngorms/Monadhliath. Cloud lifts through morning, many summits clear, but caps drift over high Cairngorms with ragged lower patches forming around rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny morning, sunshine gradually more patchy. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 9C, or slightly higher easternmost hills. Feeling like -2 to -4C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Cool and showery westerlies into the weekend, windy over high terrain; western hills often capped in cloud. Southern Pennines and Wales likely see only scattered showers and remain warm. Cloud encroaches from the southwest on Sunday, winds turn southerly and warmer air wafts back across England and Wales. A complex area of low pressure is then expected to circulate slowly over Britain early next week, bringing areas of rain and heavy showers, some thundery downpours possible. Winds varying, trending northerly and strengthening, to gales over high summits on Tuesday. A window of improvement from midweek, which may persist into the weekend, but a showery northwesterly persists in Scotland. Beware ongoing fire management restricting access to some mountains.