Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today's Forecast
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 4 to 8C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 4 to 8C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 21st August 2025
Last updated
Wed 20th Aug 25 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rather cool, but a generally fine day. Light winds for the Highlands; breezier for England & Wales, particularly in the morning. Cloud locally thick enough for drizzle early morning, but lifting above most summits, some sun increasingly breaking through. Sunnier overall for Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cool, but mostly light wind. Cloud may linger some high tops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northeast 10 to 20mph at dawn, strongest over eastern hills. Tending to drop and become variable, then westerly afternoon, 5-10mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Marked chill at first in the wind, but becoming small.
How Wet?
Dry, bar local spots of drizzle in cloud.
Scope for some spots of drizzle from the areas of low cloud as they drift south, mainly in the morning toward north and eastern Cairngorms, briefly a light shower.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied cloud, but tending to lift off hills.
Cloud drifting over many higher slopes above 700-900m in morning, lowest north/east. Bases will lift and break, with hills likely to clear, but may be slow to clear higher Cairngorms, may take until afternoon to clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% lifting to 80% afternoon.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy morning, before sun breaks through for periods. Visibility very good or excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C at dawn (feeling sub-zero in wind), will lift to 7 to 10C into the afternoon, coolest northern hills where cloud perhaps lingers tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but chilly start, with heavy dew in the glens at dawn.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 22nd August 2025
Last updated
Wed 20th Aug 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly or variable 5 to 10mph, occasionally 15mph eastern hills.
Effect of the wind on you?
Negligible
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Scope for an isolated light shower. Otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied banks, may linger northern tops
Patches or banks of cloud, mid to upper slopes; cloud top initially around 1000-1200m, higher terrain above this cloud. Tending to lift upslope to tops and break, but patches may come and go across northern tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50 to 70%, highest in the south.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine may come through more widely through the day after dull start. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C, lifting to 7 to 9C
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but some glens and corries close to freezing just before dawn, slight ground frost.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 23rd August 2025
Last updated
Wed 20th Aug 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable direction 5-10mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Negligible
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Chance of odd spots from high cloud, perhaps a very isolated shower.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little
Fragments of cloud around some slopes and patchy mist some glens at first. Otherwise the mountains largely clear. Possible cloud banks forming on some mountains toward Deeside.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun and mostly thin high cloud. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C from dawn. Rising to 13C afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Slight frost possible sheltered glens at dawn.
Planning Outlook
High pressure persists into the weekend, maintaining substantially dry weather, though expect variable amounts of cloud, covering some hills for periods. A weak front encroaching from the west may give a little rain to western Scotland on Saturday. Light variable winds for the next few days, then southeasterly winds increasing Sunday, soonest for western regions, risk becoming much windier by Monday in west, then more widely with time. Low pressure is expected to move closer to the British Isles into the middle of next week, with a greater risk of showery rain. A more unsettled pattern toward the change of month is increasingly likely.