Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Saturday'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.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Saturday 29th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Northerly winds bring cloud and some light rain to northern Scotland, but winds fall light for much of the Highlands - varied low cloud banks tend to rise, isolated showers possible afternoon. Rain for Wales from early morning, extending further north over England during the day, often heavy, risk thunder.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cool breeze eases. Low cloud, damp north, better south.
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 15 to 25mph around dawn, strongest Cairngorm plateau eastward. Soon lessening, mostly 10mph or less by late morning, often less by afternoon; some stronger gusts may continue in far northeast.
Effect of the wind on you?
Feeling breezy and noticeably chilly if exposed on high terrain early in day, becoming mostly small, or negligible many areas.
How Wet?
Drizzly morning north, rare local showers
Drizzly on high tops through morning at least, damp onto lower northern Cairngorms to start as well. Drizzle will fade, spotty showers breaking out later, but many places stay often dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Most extensive north in morning, rising, best breaks southwest
Cloud shrouds most terrain above 500-800m early, lowest bases north, more broken southward. A lifting trend, tending to break up toward upper slopes, though patches may linger in north and fill in again later in day. Best of breaks to tops and soonest in southwest Cairngorms NP & Ben Alder.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 50% north, 70% southwest.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of weak sun north, breaking through for periods further south. Mostly poor visibility on high tops in morning; will improve to very good where cloud lifts.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, rising a degree, locally to 11C southern areas afternoon. Feeling close to freezing where exposed to stronger wind early morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 30th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally southerly, 5 to 15mph, though variable in both speed and direction.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small, sudden gusts in showers.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, heavier falls forming
Patchy rain here and there much of the day, generally local in nature, with early drizzle on high terrain. Heavier falls will form as well, more widely later in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain for a time
High terrain starts in fog, varied banks to lower terrain, locally into glens and corries where rain falls. Cloud will lift, isolating to higher slopes for a time, though any high summits breaks fleeting, and then returning more extensively late in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of sun, very good visibility where out of fog, but trending overcast with visibility increasingly poor later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 or 10C, rising slightly, locally to 12C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 31st August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 10mph or less early in day, becoming westerly, increasing to 25-30mph into afternoon, stronger gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small at first, but becoming blustery affecting ease of walking in exposure; marked wind chill developing.
How Wet?
Increasingly showery
Patchy areas of rain in the morning, some drier windows. Showery rain becomes more frequent from west in afternoon. Some heavy bursts, chance of thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowest morning, rising toward tops
Varied cloud banks perhaps fairly widely to low elevations early in day. The base tending to rise to leave much cloud above 1000m, lowering patches in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, rare glimpses of sun. Visibility good away from showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C tending to lower later in day to 7C. Feeling near or later below freezing as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A generally unsettled outlook through the extended weekend and into the start of September with frequent rain and strong winds. Areas of low pressure and frontal systems move in from the Atlantic. Dropping cooler, notably chilly over Scottish mountains into Tuesday, close to freezing point on highest summits with significant wind chill in strong westerlies. A brief window of better conditions into Wednesday soon deteriorates from the west as southwesterly winds strengthen, reaching gale force over the mountains frequently in the second half of the week. Heavy rain most prolonged in the west where increasingly wet underfoot. Likely staying unsettled into next weekend and the following week.