Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday'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.
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.
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
Wednesday 20th May 2026
Last updated
Tue 19th May 26 at
4:10PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy with strong gusts, briefly lighter early in Scottish Highlands. Morning showery rain and low cloud; improving afternoon as patchy sun breaks out, cloud lifting to high terrain with summit breaks, and most areas substantially dry by later afternoon. Low cloud lingers in Wales and NW Scotland.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Becoming windy; patchy rain, mostly clearing evening
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15-20mph through morning, slightly variable direction. Rising from around midday to reach 30-35mph, and perhaps 40mph over Ben Macdui.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small in the morning, but deteriorating to strenuous walking in exposure with marked wind chill; strongest wind over high tops later in the day will challenge balance.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, more frequent and heavy afternoon
Areas of patchy rain drift from the southwest from before dawn, some dry spells too but fine drizzle lingering on tops in cloud. Through afternoon, a broader area of rain sweeps through, brining several hours of heavier rain, this breaking into patches again and easing into evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to upper terrain, chance of breaks, best late
Extensive to at least the middle south slopes from dawn, may be well-broken north. Bases soon lift, mostly above 800-900m, or higher north, perhaps fleeting summit breaks. A few hours of more cloud during rain, but then cloud breaks up later afternoon to just variable banks on tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, 50% as evening approaches
Sunshine and air clarity?
Few glimpses of weak sunshine, increasing sun breaks afternoon into evening. Variable visibility, often poor due to rain but some very good windows, particularly later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C; may reach up to 10C northeast Cairngorms where most sunny. Little rise west Monadhliath, if any. Feeling as cold as -2C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 21st May 2026
Last updated
Tue 19th May 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph. Strong gusts up to 40mph over tops and elevated passes, also downslope to the north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking with buffeting gusts often challenging stability, including downslope early. Feeling cool.
How Wet?
Morning patchy rain, then some drizzle
Patchy rain arrives after dawn, affecting most hills for several hours. Rain easing around midday, leaving behind some fine drizzle in cloud clinging to the high Cairngorm plateau, some lower drizzle towards Drumochter.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive early, some afternoon breaks
Cloud banks soon shrouds high terrain, variable banks lower, ragged patches to glen level south slopes. Bases lift as rain eases, towards 800-900m, approaching higher terrain north Cairngorms. Some summit breaks north Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun north of high Cairngorms where visibility improves, but otherwise overcast with poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C early, little change with height. Rising to 11 to 13C, mildest north. Feeling near freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 22nd May 2026
Last updated
Tue 19th May 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 30-40mph; gusty, downslope too. Easing, to 20-30mph, staying gusty on tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking, particularly early, balance affected in gusts including low terrain; feeling chilly. Easing somewhat.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, later substantially dry
Patchy rain here and there in the morning, this largely fading for dry hills; some risk of spotty rain continuing to affect Monadhliath/west Cairngorms at times.
Cloud on the hills?
Tops above cloud early, then covering high terrain
Fog banks below 700-800m south Cairngorms and into Strathspey; high tops above cloud; little cloud north of summits. Cloud lifts through morning, largely above 1000m and shrouding tops. Northern slopes only shrouded to 1100m. May break up somewhat.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% dawn (summits above cloud), lowering to 30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy, some sunny glimpses north but weakened by high cloud. Very good visibility where out of fog.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C rising to 11 or 12C, mildest north Cairngorms. Feeling just above freezing in early wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Pressure rises as the weekend approaches, facilitating south-southwesterly wind; much milder temperatures arriving, likely warm in England and Wales by the weekend. Blustery wind for a few days, quite gusty too, including to lower slopes early; still feeling chilly on high Scottish tops, and strongest gusts will challenge stability. Patchy rain and hill cloud will continue to affect Scotland as well, most often in the west. Increasingly dry and sunny England and Wales, but always with a risk of cloud and some rain, including early valley mist in sheltered areas. Higher pressure is indicated into next week as well. Precise detail of the high pressure core remains uncertain - the risk of strong wind and spells of rain possible for most areas, but also extended bright and warm periods too.