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
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.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 11th November 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Nov 26 at
3:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Many places stay dry all day with sunshine and broken cloud. Below freezing on Scottish tops. A band of rain and hill snow moves into northern Scotland during the day, plus a strengthening northwesterly wind. Easterly winds for Wales, light rain in the south fizzles out, but leaves low cloud and dampness.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Dry with sun; chilly wind increases, later snow in north.
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly, 15mph in morning, rising middle of day to 20-25mph, reaching 30mph in afternoon high Cairngorms. Strengthening to 40mph into night, possibly 50mph at times highest tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but becoming noticeable, starting to affect comfortable walking on high tops with marked wind chill. Deteriorating into night, becoming gales.
How Wet?
Snow showers later northern areas
A rare light shower in north at first, otherwise dry until later afternoon. Up to dusk, a band of showery rain and hill snow soon down to 600-700m, moving in from the north. By evening, showers with snow toward lower slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little, occasional patches
Patchy cloud at various heights from dawn, but largely disperse leaving the mountains often free of cloud. Then toward dusk, cloud banks drifting onto higher northern slopes as precipitation develops, mostly above 900m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Periods of sunshine, best toward the south, but likely to cloud over from the north later. Visibility excellent, then reducing if in showers by dusk.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C, dropping to -3C into evening. Feeling like -7C as wind increases, later -10C higher terrain.
Freezing Level
800-900m, or slightly lower in north during showers; dropping further into evening. Also frost many glens in morning.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 12th November 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Nov 26 at
3:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 35 to 50mph, strongest higher and eastern Cairngorms, particularly morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking over higher terrain, frequent buffeting, in places more difficult high Cairngorms. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow and hail showers north
Occasional snow showers, most common northern Cairngorms, some hail mixed in, rain mostly only lower slopes up to 500m. Patchy and brief showers southwards.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying over higher Cairngorms
Banks of cloud drifting across high terrain, mostly above 900m, briefly lower in north in showers, but breaking toward 1100m or above frequently too. Well broken southward, often clearing tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine mostly southern areas, but breaking through cloud at times in north. Visibility at times excellent, but slight haze north and briefly poor in snow showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or -2C. Feeling like -15 to -18C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
700-800m. Frost widely in glens in morning, all day out of sunlight.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 13th November 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Nov 26 at
3:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly, turning westerly into afternoon, 20 to 30mph, strongest higher Cairngorms both early and late in day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting to affect ease of walking on exposed higher terrain, with considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Largely dry, local flurries
Local brief snow showers in the morning, mainly northern areas, likely fading. Later in the day, a little patchy rain, snow mostly above 800m, may move in from the west, very little reaching the east.
Cloud on the hills?
Capping some tops at times
Patches of cloud may drift over the north Cairngorms early in day, mostly above 900m and likely to disperse. During afternoon, occasional patches may drift over some western upper slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sunshine, mostly east and southeastern Cairngorms. Visibility mostly excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to around 0C. Wind chill feeling like -10C, perhaps -15C on high Cairngorms at times.
Freezing Level
Much terrain frozen from dawn with frost all day in some glens out of sunlight; variable slow rise toward 900m during day.
Planning Outlook
Chillier in the second half of this week with frost widely, but much clearer conditions for all with sunshine. Into the weekend, as the wind shifts west then southwesterly, less cold air drifts in from the Atlantic bringing more cloud onto western hills - some rain mainly in western Scotland, whilst England and Wales may remain largely dry for the weekend. A changeable outlook into next week with varying temperatures, stronger wind at times, rain and some upland snow possible. Unsettled patterns are more likely to prevail beyond mid-month.