Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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.
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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 17th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong westerly winds, gales widely on Scottish mountains; cool air and significant wind chill factor. Showery rain with heavy bursts mixed in most frequent in western Scotland, but tending to extend eastward. Showers develop more often for northern England too. Fewer showers for Wales after early rain clears.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Mountain gales, feeling distinctly chilly; bursts of rain develop.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly strengthening 40 to 55mph, at times sustained speeds over 60mph on higher Cairngorms into afternoon and onward.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure, becoming arduous with considerable buffeting, gusts could knock you over on high terrain; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers increasingly, some heavy, risk hail
Showers push onto hills west of the A9 from dawn, more scattered east with dry windows to start, but will become more frequent and increasingly push east for the rest of the day; heavy falls forming, risk of hail.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied on high terrain, later filling in
Banks above 800-900m in the morning, lowering somewhat in showers; well-broken east Cairngorms, summit breaks. Banks over high terrain increasingly frequent, may fill in above 800-900m; east of Glenmore, hills clear to 1000m well into the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60% lowering to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun, extended windows to the east, trending cloudier with time. Very good visibility out of cloud and rain, generally deteriorating.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C, slight rise in east but will reduce again in showers. Feeling like -5 to -7C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 18th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly shifting S-SW'ly 35-45mph, briefly less in morning, then increasing further to 50-60mph during afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous conditions in exposure, deteriorating to become more widely difficult with considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain develops afternoon
Light showers drift into Monadhliath & Drumochter hills early in the day, otherwise largely dry until afternoon when patchy rain approaches from the southwest, some extended falls forming later, heavier south.
Cloud on the hills?
Breaks for a time, filling in through afternoon
Varied patches of cloud in the morning, mostly near and west of the A9, lifting to largely above 1000m, breaks off Cairngorm summits too. A layer of cloud will lower onto the Cairngorms through afternoon, increasingly filling in, fairly extensively above 900m, lower Drumochter.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%, lowering to 20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, trending overcast and later dull. Windows of good visibility, a little haze, deteriorating later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C, rising to 7C, and rising slightly further into night. Feeling below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 19th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40 to 55mph, strongest sustained speeds on higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions, balance frequently challenged on high exposed terrain. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers mostly west
Showery rain most frequent on hills near and west of the A9 corridor, a mix of drizzle and briefly heavier bursts. More scattered showers toward Lecht and Deeside.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly higher tops with breaks
Banks of cloud confined to higher slopes, lowest toward Ben Alder, 800m for periods. More often above 1000m many areas, lifting further with time, good breaks east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% west, to 60% east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun west, longer periods of sun east. Visibility good where dry, slight haze especially west, reduced in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, trending slightly cooler later in the daytime. Feeling like -5 to -8C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Sustained gale-force winds continue extensively on the mountains into the weekend, southwesterly turning westerly with time. Frequent rain over western hills, showers passing eastwards, tending to fade during Sunday as higher pressure begins to build from the south, allowing wind speeds to lessen too over England & Wales. Warmer into early next week, though higher humidity brings more cloud some drizzly rain to the west. A generally more promising forecast for late September as high pressure nearby offers drier and warmer weather for more places. Weather systems grazing past Scotland to the north still bring locally stronger winds and occasional rain mainly to the northwest.