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.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
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.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
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.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 9th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rain passes east through Scotland from dawn, followed by colder air and heavy showers with snow on high terrain. The rain passes northwest parts of England and Wales through morning, reaching the Pennines and south Wales midday, clearing east for afternoon showers. Blustery, strong gusts around showers.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Rain then snow showers; blustery, strong gusts later
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20-30mph, quite gusty around showers, approaching 40mph high tops later in the day; trending westerly later too.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced in exposure all day, strong buffeting gusts in afternoon showers will challenge balance for periods and bring significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Morning rain, afternoon showers, increasingly as snow
Rain passes east across through the morning, falling as snow on the high tops, patchy northern Cairngorms. Showers follow the rain, most frequent and heavy in the west, the snowfall level increasingly lowering, to 600m evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud, lifting to high terrain and increasingly broken
Extensive over high terrain into morning, to middle south and western slopes. Lifting and breaking from the west to mostly above 1000m, breaks off the high tops afternoon, but caps returning in showers. Summits may be substantially clear for several hours later in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% early, gradually rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast early with poor visibility in rain, bursts of bright sunshine breaking out afternoon with very good visibility, though suddenly deteriorating again in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 to 5C at dawn, mildest northern Cairngorms east of Ben Macdui. Soon beginning to cool from the west to 0C; east Cairngorms will be slow to cool, locally staying +1C before dusk. Feeling like -10C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Just above the summits at dawn, soon lowering from the west, to 900m afternoon/evening, locally higher east.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 10th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 10-15mph early, shifting southerly and strengthening, towards 45-55mph over high Cairngorms by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small in the east at first, but walking increasingly challenging through afternoon with severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
Precipitation unlikely until late in the day, when patchy rain and snow arrives from the south, falling as snow above 600-700m, and mostly confined to Drumochter/south Cairngorm slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Cloud builds on high terrain afternoon
Some patchy mist in glens/corries in the morning, this soon lifting and dissipating for cloud-free hills into afternoon. With time afternoon, patchy cloud returns to high terrain, mostly central highlands where bases approach 800m by evening. North Cairngorms stay largely clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny through morning, high cloud building afternoon, more often cloudy by dusk. Good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C, rising to +1C. Later, feeling like -13 to -15C in wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m from dawn, light frosts likely in glens too. Gradually lifting to 900-1000m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 11th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 25-35mph, quite variable, and stronger at dawn, 50mph over high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced all day, a chilly feel in exposure; more challenging conditions at first.
How Wet?
Snow showers, mostly south
Snow at dawn, rain below 500m, tending to break into showers through morning, mostly on southern areas, at times passing further north. Later afternoon may see a window of dry weather.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud breaks into banks on high tops
Fairly extensive over the high Cairngorms at dawn, lowest bases to the south, around 800m. Soon beginning to break from the west into passing banks around showers, base lifting to largely above 1000-1100m, clear periods likely, but only brief highest tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A cloudy dawn, bursts of sun soon breaking from the west, most north. Very good visibility, though more often poor on southern slopes in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Variable between -1 to +1C. May rise to 2C northern Cairngorms. Feeling like -10 to -12C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Around 900m, though locally variable, and tending to rise slightly.
Planning Outlook
An unsettled weekend with rain, showers, and wind temperatures, though a few bright spells will break out. Variable weather regimes next week: Atlantic west-southwesterly winds likely dominant, with low pressure to the northwest of the country, brining cloud, rain, and mild temperatures, often followed by sun, showers, and cooler temperatures; rain will be increasingly common to the high Munros, but the snowfall level will lower too during periods of cooler weather, and perhaps to high Lakeland fells, though any snow unlikely to accumulate here. In the longer term, indications of high pressure increasingly building, brining drier and brighter conditions with mild days to England and Wales and occasionally Scotland too, though the risk remains of occasional rain and cooler temperatures.