Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Tuesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Scotland starts windy with rain in the northwest highlands, this spreading fairly widely over the highlands into afternoon and evening. Wind eases, some bright breaks in the far northwest. Feeling damp, warm, and often cloudy England and Wales, drizzle on west hills, odd patchy rain, but sun glimpses too.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Early wind eases, rain sets in; warm and humid
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 40mph, very gusty for a time higher Cairngorms and northern corries. Lessening, largely 25-30mph later, further lessening into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Varied conditions, blustery in exposure and for a time more frequent buffeting in morning, then later becoming smaller.
How Wet?
Rain becomes persistent afternoon
A little patchy rain and drizzle over Drumochter and Monadhliath in the morning, becoming steadier and spreading east into the Cairngorms afternoon, setting in for the remainder of the day. Best chance of dry patches towards Glen Avon.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, at times extensive, breaks north
Banks of cloud around some slopes at varied heights, most persistent areas accessed from Glen Garry. Some banks shroud higher Cairngorms, and cloud begins filling in from the west, spreading widely afternoon, bases to 500-600m south Cairngorms, nearer 800-900m north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% dropping to 10% in rain
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine emerging at times, best to the north of the Cairngorms in the morning with very good visibility. Becoming overcast afternoon, increasingly dull with poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10C, locally up to 12C northeast, humid; then likely to drop evening-night, to 6C overnight. Feeling near to 0C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally northwesterly 15-25mph, some variability possible in the early hours; trending lower with time.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery over high Cairngorms, fairly small most other areas and later more widely.
How Wet?
Risk early rain, then scattered showers
Risk a few hours of rain from dawn, which may be heavy for a time, but this ultimately passing east, a few scattered showers drifting from the west afternoon; rain may clear quickly but this uncertain.
Cloud on the hills?
May start fairly extensive, little afternoon
May start fairly extensive just around dawn if rain lingers; as rain clears, cloud will break into varied banks, mostly high terrain (a few ragged low patches briefly), but ultimately clearing for mostly cloud-free hills. A few passing banks on high west terrain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%; may start at 20% for a few hours
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy just at dawn, but soon becoming mostly sunny. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C. Feeling below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 24th September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-25mph, strengthening, to sustained 50mph+ over high Cairngorms, powerful gusts over tops and downslope.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly challenging, gusts necessitate great effort to remain upright. Feeling chilly despite mild temperature.
How Wet?
Little until late
A little patchy rain around the midday hours, but otherwise dry. Later, patchy rain approaches Drumochter and Monadhliath, spreading widely into nighttime.
Cloud on the hills?
Little until later
Occasional cloud banks on high southern slopes, rolling over tops, but more often clear well into the day. Cloud will begin to more extensively shroud tops through afternoon, progressively lowering on southern slopes; north Cairngorms stay clear well into the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%, lowering to 30% later
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun through high cloud, tending to cloud over as afternoon goes. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 9C, or 10C north Cairngorms, staying elevated into night. Feeling like -1 to -3C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A heavier swathe of rain moves east Wednesday morning, soon clearing Scotland but leaving a few showers behind, later clearing England and Wales. Southwesterly winds increase again on Thursday and rain later moves into western Scotland, but elsewhere is likely dry, bright in Wales and much of England. A variable outlook continues next weekend and beyond with high pressure building from the south at times with fairly warm and dry conditions, but Atlantic systems still pass to the north bringing occasional rain and showers toward western Scotland at least, strong wind here with sustained gales in the north. Next week remains on the unsettled side: west-southwesterly wind with bands of rain passing over most mountains, but a trend towards higher pressure brings longer settled windows into October.