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.
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 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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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.
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
Friday 12th December 2025
Last updated
Thu 11th Dec 25 at
3:43PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Increasingly blustery north England and Scotland, gales over Scottish Highlands; lighter wind Pennines and Wales. Early patchy rain over east Scotland and the Pennines soon clears, slowest south Pennines; many hills then cloud-free. Scattered showers onto west coasts, most frequent and heavy west-central Scotland.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wind strengthens, gales later; dry, clear northern slopes
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-25mph from dawn, strengthening during day, reaching 40-45mph over tops, some stronger gusts in exposure in western areas.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous, later arduous in exposure, particularly west where strongest gusts will challenge stability. Wind chill becoming considerable.
How Wet?
Overnight rain soon clears for a dry day
Rain before dawn with snow on the high tops passes to the east, clearing most areas soon after sunrise for a dry day.
Cloud on the hills?
Isolating largely to the high Cairngorms most of the day
High Cairngorms in cloud from dawn with some ragged patches lower down, these soon dissipating. Much of the cloud will clear though caps will drift over high Cairngorms at times, a few lower banks come and go on southern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny on northern and lower southern slopes. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C, lowering to 1C; staying slightly warmer for a time east hills. Feeling like -13C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Just the high summits at dawn, lowering to 1000-1100m, lowest in the west.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 13th December 2025
Last updated
Thu 11th Dec 25 at
3:43PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly, strengthening during daytime from 40-50mph to 70-80mph, risk stronger gusts toward afternoon/evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions from mid-elevations upward, increasingly any mobility difficult, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain developing, heavier later west
Some spotty rain west in the wind early, dry east. From midday, rain setting in persistently western areas, often raining east but lighter with breaks. Risk of heavy falls near Drumochter.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive, lowering
Varied banks of cloud mostly toward west and south Cairngorms in morning, patches over high tops, but clearer northeastward. With time, tending to fill in across all high terrain, lowering to mid-slopes south/west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, high cloud thickening. Visibility good in morning, reducing later, poor if in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C rising steadily to later reach 5C, remaining elevated overnight. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
1000 to 1200m up to dawn, gradually rising, above all summits with time; possible slight frost some glens at first.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 14th December 2025
Last updated
Thu 11th Dec 25 at
3:43PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty southwesterly, sustained winds between 40-55mph, may strengthen further. Gusts to middle slopes.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strong gusty winds will challenge balance and stability all day, including less exposed slopes. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Intermittent rain, may set in
Several periods of rain from the southwest, most frequent Drumochter/south Monadhliath; heavy falls. Patches spreading more widely with a risk of setting in for periods.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly south/west slopes
Banks of cloud often covering the tops near Drumochter and south Monadhliath, often drifting further east across southern Cairngorms and over the tops. Variable bases, 600-900m. Northern aspects often clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% south/west, 30% north/east
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun on north slopes. Visibility variable, poor at times central highlands, very good north.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 to 7C, variable. Feeling like -5 to -8C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Staying unsettled through the weekend and next week as southwesterly winds prevail and low pressure systems pass to the northwest of Scotland; sustained gales over the mountains, severe or stormy for periods. Rainfall will be frequent and heavy for periods, sometimes showery with hail in the west. Expect very wet ground conditions and further flooding of streams and some rivers. Best chance for dry and bright periods central and south Pennines, though these fleeting. Mild for the time of year, temperatures only just below freezing intermittently on higher Scottish tops, even here will experience spells above freezing with thawing, any lying snow patchy, but beware some icy surfaces on the very highest tops where some refreezing occurs.