Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Friday'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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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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.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 23rd October 2026
Last updated
Thu 22nd Oct 26 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Prolonged heavy rain for south & eastern Scotland, increasingly snow over higher mountains. Patchier showery rain toward the west coast. Very variable wind for Scotland, but gales will be severe on Welsh mountains, heavy rain also persistent here. Rapid increase of wind over northern England into afternoon.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wind varying, increasing later. Rain and upland snow sets in.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Highly variable, easterly 20-30mph at first, then a possible lull, turning northerly in afternoon, rising to 25-35mph later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery at times with marked wind chill on high terrain, particularly later in day. For a few hours will be fairly small.
How Wet?
Rain or increasingly snow on tops soon sets in for most of the day
Dry start toward north of Cairngorms, but steady rain soon sets in from the south, persistent and heavy at times from Cairngorms south and eastward nearly all day, turning increasingly to snow higher areas, with time to 700-800m. Snow continues over hills into evening, rain lower down; flooding develops especially eastern areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive
From dawn, varied banks and locally clearer toward Strathspey. Otherwise, blanket cloud to middle slopes most or all day, lowest south Cairngorms where patches form in glen/corries. Some variation near and west of A9, but often covering most high tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, may start with good visibility for a few hours in north, otherwise mostly dull and poor visibility on high terrain, appalling in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 2C, lowering variably to 0C afternoon. Feeling near or below -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Will vary around 1000-1200m, tending to lower during day into afternoon to 900m, slightly lower toward evening.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 24th October 2026
Last updated
Thu 22nd Oct 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, rising soon in morning to 40-50mph, rapidly reaching 70-80mph+; marked increase with height.
Effect of the wind on you?
Deteriorating, soon arduous walking on exposed terrain, significant wind chill; increasingly severe conditions.
How Wet?
Rain sets in, heaviest southwest
Dry for a few hours from dawn, then patchy rain moves in from west, snow flurries above 1000m, becoming all rain, setting in, heaviest falls Drumochter area. Showery into night, snow on tops. Streams in spate, flooding from previous rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowering to become extensive
For much of the morning, most cloud above the hills, apart from odd patches at varied heights. Increasingly cloud will lower onto hills, forming lowest in southwestern Cairngorms; some higher breaks may remain in north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% in morning, dropping to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A little weak sun through high cloud from dawn, but giving way to overcast skies. Good visibility becomes hazier, then poor as rain sets in.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C rising to 5C by later afternoon, then falling again to 1C after dark. Feeling around -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
1000m plus frost in many glens at dawn; rising to 1200m middle of day, later well above tops; lowering into night.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 25th October 2026
Last updated
Thu 22nd Oct 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 60 to 80mph, gusts 100mph over higher mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions, mobility very difficult, repeatedly blowing you over; challenging even modest hills with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent rain, upland snow; most west
Widely showery, at times more constant precipitation near/west of A9, snow often falling above 900-1000m or later slightly lower, also some hail in heavier bursts.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive high and western tops
Cloud base varying, but often capping higher slopes, lowest and most persistent toward western side of Cairngorms to 900-1000m, patches to 700m in showers. Some breaks higher up more often in east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent bursts of sun, mostly east. Good visibility for periods, though slight haze; poor in precipitation, appalling at times if in snow and cloud on tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1 to 3C. Wind chill feels like -15 to -20C in exposure.
Freezing Level
1100 to 1200m, likely nearer 1000m in the afternoon and early evening.
Planning Outlook
Stormy conditions widely across the mountains this weekend, peak wind speeds into Sunday over Scottish mountains with gusts 100mph on higher tops. Heavy rain will sweep in again from the west during Saturday, leaving showery conditions for Sunday, turning back to snow on higher terrain in Scotland. Very wet ground conditions, beware flooding of many streams and rivers making some routes impassable. A relative lull by early Monday in Scotland, but the next weather system soon sweeps in from the southwest with more heavy rain and extensive mountain gales, continuing into Tuesday. Mild south-southwesterlies mid-late week; smaller amounts of rain, some drier windows toward east and south.