Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday'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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 15th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread gales, powerful gusts over tops and down northern slopes, severe at times in Scotland, particularly west. Persistent rain for many, brief dry windows east (notably Pennines), then heavy rain sweeps east afternoon, followed by showers, only easing late in the day. Mild air, but feeling cold in wind.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Rain on-and-off, driest north; mild but feeling cold in gusty gales
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 40-50mph, very gusty, not just at high elevations, locally variable direction. Likely strengthening for periods, most powerful gusts approaching 60mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions with significant wind chill in exposure likely all day; chaotic gusts constantly requiring effort to maintain balance. Forward progress becomes tortuous during periods of strongest wind.
How Wet?
Frequent rain and drizzle, a few drier moments
Rain fairly widespread in the morning, local heavy falls, trending patchy with drier moments (best on northern slopes), but remaining drizzly on high terrain even between spells of rain. Drizzle eases with time, rain trending showery later, and perhaps more frequent again.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, some improvement, local high breaks north
Extensive to at least the middle slopes early, likely lower slopes in the south and west, to glen level around Drumochter. A lifting trend, towards 700-900m, higher breaks to the north towards upper terrain, but high summits unlikely to clear. Likely deteriorating for a few hours later as rain returns.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few glimpses of weak afternoon sun on northern slopes, but otherwise mostly cloudy. Mixed visibility, often poor and dull in cloud/drizzle but very good where out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, though nearer 8C northwest Cairngorm slopes and northern Monadhliath; little change with height from dawn. Feeling as cold as -8 to -10C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Overnight, lowering to 1100-1200m.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 16th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35-45mph much of the day, some lighter speeds early, and may ease again later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous in exposure most of the day with notable wind chill; always blustery and gusty even during lighter speeds.
How Wet?
Frequent showers, later easing
High terrain drizzle early, a stream of showers soon arrives from the southwest, spreading widely and frequent for a time, persistent moments with heavy falls near Drumochter. Easing later to scattered showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive early, improving, summit breaks
Much terrain above 800-900m in fog from dawn, lower towards Drumochter and south Monadhliath. Bases lift with cloud trending patchy, mostly above 1200m later with summit breaks, but variably returning to summits. Northern slopes east of Ben Macdui always clearest.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 50% east
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few morning glimpses of sun, increasingly breaking out afternoon. Visibility becoming excellent where out of showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2C rising to 5 or 6C, mildest northeast Cairngorms. Feeling like -5 to -8C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
About 1200m at dawn, gradually lifting to clear all summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 17th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 30-45mph, some variability, and a risk of higher speeds over Cairngorm plateau.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking strenuous-to-arduous in exposure likely all day, considerable wind chill and stability at times challenged.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, setting in for several hours
Patchy rain from dawn, mostly southern slopes and towards Drumochter; extended dry moments northern slopes. With time, setting in more persistently with heavy falls for several hours, breaking into showers later.
Cloud on the hills?
Shrouding high terrain and south slopes
Terrain above 900m likely in cloud most or all day, often lower on southern slopes, filling into middle slopes as least as rain sets in. More variable to the north, some high breaks in the morning, but this chance reducing in rain. Some chance of breaking later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and often dull with poor visibility on southern slopes. At times better visibility north, and later, a chance of sun glimpses.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 to 6C, mildest northern Cairngorm slopes. Feeling as cold as -8C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
May just touch the summit of Ben Macdui at dawn from overnight, soon lifting off the summit.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled conditions as the weekend approaches: showery on Thursday (local hail and lightning in Scotland), more rain and often heavy on Friday, accompanied by gusty winds, gales over mountains for periods; some bright spells on Thursday and later Friday too. Temperatures will tend to rise several degrees during daylight, even when cloudy, and often becoming warm in the valleys; slopes north of major hill groups often milder too. Saturday sees continued showers, mostly north and west where staying blustery, but a trend towards higher pressure building through late weekend into early next week. Confidence in detail for oncoming high pressure remains very low: a risk of chilly easterly wind for a time with showers, mostly east and southern areas.