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
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 10th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 9th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Westerly gales across many mountains will make walking challenging and bring significant chill factor; air temperature close to freezing point on highest summits. Rain most persistent in western Scotland, snow falling on high tops. Frequent showery rain for northwest England, fewer showers south across Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales on tops, lessen slightly; showery rain, snow high tops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-northwesterly 40 to 50mph, or 60mph on high Cairngorms early in day, very gusty. Speeds dropping a little during afternoon to 35-40mph. Gradually lowering further onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking, maintaining stability requiring constant effort. Gusts could blow you over on high exposed terrain in morning. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent showers, snow on high terrain
A sustained stream of showers from the west much of the day, rather frequent near and west of the A9. More scattered eastward at times, but also locally more frequent. Falling as snow on high Cairngorms above 900-1000m, or occasionally 800m in morning, some hail possible.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive high terrain, often lowering
Cloud may occasionally break above 1000m east of Ben Macdui, but high tops likely stay in cloud, base often lowering towards 800m, locally 600m Monadhliath to Ben Alder. When rain sets in, filling in extensively to middle slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Best of patchy sun east, sometimes more widely cloudy. Visibility varied, often poor but sometimes good east during dry windows.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1 or 2C in morning, 3C afternoon, but will vary and lower slightly in showers. Feeling like -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
1100m in morning, lifting to 1200-1300m or at times just above highest tops afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 11th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 9th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 25-30mph from dawn to early morning, easing to 10-15mph middle of day. Increasingly southerly in evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
In morning, considerable wind chill, blustery wind on tops affects comfortable walking; then small until late in day.
How Wet?
Rare early showers
Isolated brief showers in morning, mostly northern areas, of snow above 900m.
Cloud on the hills?
Clearing most tops
Patchy cloud around higher slopes mostly above 900m by mid morning, lifting and dispersing more with time to leave most mountains free of cloud in afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny start, a little patchy cloud forming. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C much of day, then lifting slightly higher onward into evening-night. Feeling like -7 to -10C in wind high tops.
Freezing Level
Slight frost in glens at dawn. Around 1100-1200m in morning, rising higher, above all tops mid-afternoon onward.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 12th October 2026
Last updated
Fri 9th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, speed likely to vary considerably, risk 50mph at first, then a marked lull until evening, then rising again.
Effect of the wind on you?
Possibly mostly small much of the daytime, but beware more difficult conditions early in day, may deteriorate again toward dusk.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, mostly toward south
Rain and drizzle fairly persistent in the morning, though small amounts north toward Glenmore. A little rain may linger over southern hills, drier periods north. After dark, steadier rain may return.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest cloud south
Shrouding many hills all day, from mid elevations Glen Garry to Ben Alder, 700-900m Cairngorms to Monadhliath. Local higher breaks forming in afternoon away from rain toward north and east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, mostly dull. Some brighter moments north of the Cairngorms, glimpses of sun and good visibility below cloud in afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, tending to fall a little during daytime, then rise again into night. Feeling below freezing if in stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
After a fine but cool day on Sunday, damp and mild southwesterly air moves back across the country into Monday. Southwesterly winds strengthen late Monday to widely gale-force over the hills, heavier rain likely into early Tuesday, followed by showers and a slight drop of temperature. Very unsettled west-southwesterlies continue into midweek - sustained mountain gales, possibly stormy at times and spells of heavy rain for all areas. A changeable westerly theme likely continues beyond mid-month - occasional windows of drier weather, but more often windy with rain or showers coming in from the Atlantic, sometimes cold enough to fall as snow on Scottish high tops.