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
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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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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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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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
Thursday 8th October 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Oct 26 at
3:26PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Early showers in north Scotland and Wales will fade, widely dry and bright conditions for several midday/afternoon hours. Cool-to-chilly, little wind. High cloud builds west, wind and rain arriving to west Scotland afternoon, spreading east and into England and Wales as evening approaches, deteriorating into night.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Mostly sunny and chilly, rain arrives late in the day
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty northwesterly 25-30mph to start, including downslope southeast. Direction shifts west then southwesterly, generally 10-20mph, restrengthening later afternoon to 30-35mph evening, further strengthening into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking with buffeting gusts early and late in the day, but a long window of fairly small effects. Conditions significantly deteriorate into night.
How Wet?
Substantially dry until later
A few odd showers on northern slopes in the early morning (snow on tops), but any light in nature and soon dry. Rain arrives from the west as afternoon goes, spreading widely and setting in persistently as evening turns to night.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud clears
Cloud banks substantially cover slopes above 1000m from dawn, dropping as low as 700-800m on north slopes during early showers. Bases will lift and increasingly break up for often clear summits afternoon. Cloud lowers onto high terrain as evening approaches, filling in extensively overnight.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sun well into the day, high cloud arriving and thickening through afternoon. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C rising to 3C, may lower slightly around evening but then sharply rising overnight, several hours around 9C. Feeling like -3 to -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
1100-1200m, frosts in sheltered glens and corries at dawn. Gradually lifting to rise above the high tops.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 9th October 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Oct 26 at
3:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly sustained 35-45mph. Quite gusty, top speeds approaching 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking in exposure, powerful gusts challenging balance, bracing necessary at times. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers
Showers come and go from the west all day, perhaps more frequent with heavier falls in the afternoon, particularly west. Some hail mixed in, with snow on the high Cairngorms.
Cloud on the hills?
Highly variable, clear windows
During showers, shafts of cloud cover terrain above 900m, but the hills largely clear between showers at least to start the day. Afternoon brings increased risk of longer cloudy periods, some bases lowering below 900m in the west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60% lowering to 30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun. Very good visibility, but suddenly poor in showers, very poor in snow on high tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 or 4C, perhaps several degrees warmer just around dawn. Feeling like -5 to -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Soon lowering to at or just above the highest Cairngorm summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 10th October 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Oct 26 at
3:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 35-50mph, very gusty. Speeds may lessen but confidence is low.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking, maintaining stability requiring constant effort. 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. May be more scattered eastward at times, but also likely setting in for several hours widely. Falling as snow on high Cairngorms.
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. 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)
3 or 4C, will vary somewhat in rain. Feeling near -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Around 1200m.
Planning Outlook
Rain, low cloud and strong upland winds across Britain overnight into Friday morning. Friday and Saturday are windy and showery with bright breaks, a risk of severe gales on many summits. Sunday sees a more settled day as a small ridge of high pressure builds from the west; wind eases, plenty of bright breaks, cool temperatures. Next week sees continued mixed weather: bands of rain coming and going, temperatures similarly fluctuating: generally mild, but sometimes chilly in Scotland with freezing levels lowering onto high Munros where rain turns to snow; any accumulating snow soon thaws. Westerly wind will be dominant, often quite strong, gales at times, but this allows for drier, brighter windows on eastern hill groups between weather systems.