Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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
Monday 31st August 2026
Last updated
Sun 30th Aug 26 at
4:31PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Showers scattered across most hills through morning, locally clustering for frequent falls with heavy bursts. Showers gradually clear eastward, spotty light rain fades out with time as sunny bursts break out (though weakened by high cloud). Cool-to-mild, but feeling chilly in a strengthening wind.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Clusters of showers gradually fade; becoming blustery
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 10mph or less early in day, orienting westerly, gradually increasing, to reach 30-35mph for a time afternoon with stronger gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but becoming breezy with time, more strenuous conditions forming over the tops later with notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers gradually clear eastward
Patchy areas of rain in the morning, a risk of some heavier falls slowly drifting around. Showers will generally pass east, a few continuing to develop afternoon, but ultimately fading with time to just a little drizzle on high terrain.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowest morning, rising toward tops, increasing breaks
Varied cloud banks fairly widely to low elevations early in day. The base tending to rise to leave much cloud above 1000m, lowering in patches around showers, but increasingly breaking higher for clear summits later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy early, sunny glimpses increasingly breaking out, most extensive lower slopes. Visibility increasingly excellent as cloud and showers fade.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C, briefly rising slightly but then tending to lower later in day to finish around 7C. Feeling near or later below freezing as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Last updated
Sun 30th Aug 26 at
4:31PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 35 to 50mph, some variability and gusting stronger for a time over high tops; later lessening somewhat.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions, buffeting affecting balance on high exposed terrain, difficult for a time. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain for a time
Rain on and off, but a few hours of more persistent rain likely, heaviest in western Cairngorms NP. Breaking into scattered showers afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering high terrain morning, afternoon breaks to tops
Covering the mountains fairly widely above 800-1000m in the morning, lowest in west, and briefly more widely to middle slopes. Bases rising and breaks forming to upper slopes through afternoon, varied banks over tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun break through with time. Visibility reduced in rain, then more often very good through afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C, little change, coolest northwest. Feeling sub-zero in the wind, -5C in stronger speeds higher up.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 2nd September 2026
Last updated
Sun 30th Aug 26 at
4:31PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 10-20mph, will vary in speed and direction somewhat, and strengthening around or after nightfall.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small.
How Wet?
Rising chance patchy rain
Patchy rain drifts onto southern hills at times, dry windows likely and perhaps substantially dry well into the day. A rising chance of more widespread patches later and some drizzle.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain for a time
Varied banks across many hills in the morning, lifting to mostly above 900m and may break up for a time, particularly north and west. Cloud mostly clings to south Cairngorms, and tending to fill in again later in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 30% for a time, to 60% Monadhliath
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some patchy sun, mostly northern Cairngorms, more often cloudy. Poor visibility on high Cairngorms, but excellent below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 9 or 10C, staying elevated into night.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A generally unsettled outlook during the first two weeks of September with frequent rain and strong winds. Low pressure dominates and a series of frontal systems move in from the Atlantic. West to southwesterlies, often gale force over the mountains in the second half of this coming week. Heavy rain most prolonged in the west where increasingly wet underfoot, streams rising to be in spate. Low cloud often covering the hills, rarely clearing western summits. Temperatures varying, some notably cooler days for Scotland, at times more humid air mainly toward the south. A few brighter windows will break out, mostly south and eastern areas, but always brief and any detail on timing remains uncertain.