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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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 18th June 2026
Last updated
Wed 17th Jun 26 at
4:05PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rain and low cloud affects many mountains, most persistent in the west, patchier and lighter for the Highlands by afternoon. A band of heavier rain for northern England and southwest Scotland, risk some thundery bursts. Blustery southwesterly winds. Feeling humid particularly for England and Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Breezy. Rain and showery bursts, cloud on many tops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 25 to 30mph, occasional stronger gusts 35-40mph around high tops, particularly north and east of Cairngorms on some downslopes.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting to affect comfortable walking over higher exposed tops and ridges, some buffeting at times. Feeling cool.
How Wet?
Patchy rain and drizzle
Periods of light rain and drizzle most common Ben Alder to Drumochter area. Occasional pulses of rain extending northwards, an odd burst of rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Capping tops, breaks north
Most persistent over southern hills, often capping areas near Drumochter above 800-1000m. Higher cloud base northward, often covering higher Cairngorms, some breaks toward upper slopes in north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% south, to 40% north.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy, brighter northeastward with some sun breaking through. Visibility very good below cloud, but reduced to poor around rain, most often southern areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, rising to 11C out of cloud mainly north and eastern areas. Feeling near 0C in stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 19th June 2026
Last updated
Wed 17th Jun 26 at
4:05PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, rising soon from dawn to 40-60mph, gusts 70mph high Cairngorms; lessening only by evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions on high terrain, gusts may knock you over, sudden buffeting on north downslopes. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent heavy or thundery rain
Bursts of rain extending northwards from overnight into morning, further pulses of rain likely into afternoon; some more constant heavy falls. Risk of thunder. May start to break up only late in day.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, mostly south, widely around rain
Cloud banks most persistent southern areas, may cover hills much of day. Northern areas clear for a time, widely filling in and lowering over high terrain in rain, ragged patches to lower slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Any sun weak through high cloud, largely overcast. Visibility good where dry, but a haze likely, murkier around rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Humid 12 to 14C, then toward/after dusk likely to drop rapidly to 6C. Feeling below freezing in wind all day.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 20th June 2026
Last updated
Wed 17th Jun 26 at
4:05PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 30mph, tending to increase with gusts 35-40mph more common later in day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery over higher terrain, affecting comfortable walking in exposure, likely increasingly. Marked wind chill on tops.
How Wet?
Showers develop for a time
Largely dry early morning, then scattered showers spread in from the west from late morning, brief bursts of rain onward into early afternoon, easing later from west. Small chance isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering some slopes in morning
Cloud banks mainly Ben Alder to hills near Drumochter in the morning, patchier east and north. Soon mostly above 900m and lifting higher, increasingly dispersing.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy, some sun breaking through, best in eastern areas. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 8C afternoon. Feeling below freezing in the wind, near -5C on higher tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Humid southwesterly winds, gales across many mountains on Friday, plus heavy rain, thundery bursts mixed in. Less windy, but still breezy into Saturday in Scotland, feeling less humid for most, but western Scottish hills at least stay cloud capped and with showery rain. Sunday is a drier day with clearer hills, light winds and feeling warmer. Into next week, a mixed west-southwesterly pattern for Scotland, rain and low cloud most common in the west, drier with higher cloud eastwards and more often dry. Warm and humid for England & Wales - often dry, but possible thunderstorms forming at times - detail more uncertain.