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.
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.
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.
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.
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 1st July 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Jun 26 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rapidly strengthening wind into the afternoon, gales develop increasingly widely later. Odd showers, then rain sweeps into western Scotland through the afternoon, setting in. England & Wales largely dry until evening. Cloud fairly widely on western hills in the morning, lifting for a time prior to rain.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Light wind early; deteriorating to gales and rain late in day.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable then southerly 10mph or less much of morning, strengthening southerly afternoon to 25-35mph, later afternoon 50mph, stronger toward dusk, reaching 60-70mph with stronger gusts, switching westerly onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small in the morning, but becoming more blustery, walking increasingly arduous later, very difficult late in day, with considerable wind chill by evening. Severe conditions into overnight hours.
How Wet?
Local showers; rain later in day
Largely dry until later in day, but one or two brief showers drift eastwards morning into middle of day. Toward evening, rain moving in from southwest, becoming persistent, some heavier in west late in day. Persistent rain tends to break up into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied in morning, lifting, breaks to tops
Banks of cloud over higher slopes and some patches to mid-levels in the morning. Tending to lift and break to upper slopes into middle of day, clearing some high tops afternoon, best toward north and eastern Cairngorms. By evening, lowering over higher slopes in rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 70% afternoon until late
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun, giving way to high cloud moving in from west later, thickening toward evening. Visibility excellent below/out of cloud until late evening most places.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, local 10C afternoon in north/east. Feeling like freezing as wind increases, later near -5C in exposure on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 2nd July 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Jun 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly, 70mph dawn-early morning, lessening to 40-50mph during morning, 30-40mph in afternoon, strongest north/east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions from overnight and still difficult well into daytime, walking and balance challenging, slowly moderating.
How Wet?
Scattered showers
Overnight rain likely clears to leave showery conditions, most frequent north and western areas in morning, a scattering afternoon, becoming more often dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting toward or above tops
Covering high terrain fairly widely from dawn, soon mostly confined above 1000m and gradually tending to thin and break higher, best and soonest in east & south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun breaking through, most often eastern lower slopes. Visibility very good below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 8C afternoon. Directly in the stronger winds feeling like -5 to -10C on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 3rd July 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Jun 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 40mph, speeds likely to fluctuate during the day, reaching 50mph at least in gusts on high Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting comfortable walking, at times more strenuous on exposed terrain and balance may be challenging on ridges.
How Wet?
A little rain mostly west
Occasional drizzle mainly over hills near and west of the A9, some rain may develop at times. Very little if any toward Deeside.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly higher and southwestern areas
Most cloud confined above 800-1000m, most frequent on hills toward Drumochter, but some breaks. Capping tops for periods widely, but clearing at times east & north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% southwest, to 60% northeast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, more often sun through high cloud eastern areas. Visibility good below cloud, very good east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C rising to 10C afternoon. Feeling like 0 to -3C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
West to southwesterlies prevail across northern Britain. Rain, drizzle and low cloud most frequent over western hills from Lake District northward. Temperatures near average, but feeling cool in exposure to wind on tops. An improving trend from the south over the weekend as higher pressure builds, best conditions for Wales and eastern hills elsewhere. Drier and warmer conditions more likely into next week, very warm some days England and Wales, though southwesterlies still bring more cloud to western Scotland, some rain at times, wettest toward northwest.