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
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Dry and sunny
Extensive sunshine. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Very warm
Warm conditions across the hills, rising above 15C on tops. Increasingly hot on lower terrain, reaching 25C+ in many valleys. Beware of dehydration.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 16th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 15th Jul 26 at
3:59PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Extremely dry ground conditions with risk of wildfire, notably England and Wales. Remaining very warm and mostly sunny across the country, high cloud and haze weakening the sun in the north. Early sea fog affects low slopes of north and east Scotland and England, this burning off through morning.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Very warm; sun weakened by high cloud and haze
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northeasterly, 5 to 10mph, trending towards 15mph over high eastern tops later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small.
How Wet?
No rain expected
Cloud on the hills?
Hills clear
Fog over the North Sea extends inland into some glens toward the north and east around dawn, beginning to thin and retreat through morning and retreating back to the coast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Practically certain
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine over the mountains well into the day, increasingly weakened by high cloud. Some mist patches from dawn in glens and over lochs, this clearing but staying hazy (high tops perhaps above haze early in the day).
How Cold? (at 900m)
16C from dawn, (warmer than glens at first), rising to 17 to 20C; coolest temperatures far north and east, warmest towards Drumochter where glens reach 26C or locally warmer around Strathspey.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 17th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 15th Jul 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 15 to 25mph, local 30mph northeastern tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but feeling more blustery at times and noticeable cooler on high terrain.
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Odd pockets of drizzle over the high Cairngorms from time to time, a few spots on slopes to the north as well, otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering northern hills for a time
Varied banks of cloud drifting onto some hill slopes, mainly north Cairngorms. Higher terrain likely above the cloud, but some cloud banks likely drifting higher up for periods, then thinning. Well broken cloud further south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% north, 80% south (high Cairngorms perhaps above cloud)
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sun and cloud. Visibility very good or excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 14C, coolest in northern areas around cloud banks.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 18th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 15th Jul 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 15-20mph, gusty over the Cairngorm plateau, may reach 30mph at times.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but frequent nuisance gusts over high terrain and a chilly feeling.
How Wet?
Little expected
Spotty light rain affects the Cairngorm plateau from time to time, rainfall totals likely small with dry windows. Slopes south of high Cairngorms remain dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lingering on high northern slopes
May be fairly extensive at dawn, lowest bases northern Cairngorms/Strathspey area. Soon breaking and lifting, southern slopes clearing cloud; varied banks come and go over the high Cairngorms, bases to 1000-1100m northern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun, more often cloudy on high northern slopes. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10C northern Cairngorms, to 12C southern Cairngorms/Drumochter area. Feeling near freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Settled summer weather continues into the weekend and next week as high pressure dominates. Warm temperatures on the hills in midweek will trend cooler from the north from Friday into the weekend, dropping below 10C on summits for periods, mainly Scottish mountains. Most persistently cooler in the north where some cloud will be drawn onto high terrain and over tops at times, occasional light showery rain; occasional inversion conditions in the morning. Otherwise generally ongoing dry weather, with good amounts of sun and many hill tops often clear of cloud. Continuing very high risk of fire with extremely dry ground conditions. A change of weather pattern late in the month brings scope for rain and thundery showers.