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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Thunderstorms
Bursts of rain, torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
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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.
Thunderstorms
Bursts of rain, torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 5th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 4th Aug 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Increasingly gale-force winds over high terrain in northern England and near west coast of Scotland; wind strengthening widely over the Highlands. Areas of persistent rain and heavy downpours becoming widespread for the Highlands, local thunderstorms. Frequent rain for northern England, less for Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Strengthening wind afternoon. Often raining, heavy bursts.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable or southwesterly, 10-20mph from dawn through middle of day, less at times. Then during afternoon increasing north-northwesterly 30mph, rising to 40mph into evening with stronger gusts high tops by dusk onward.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small likely until early afternoon, but then worsening conditions affecting ease of walking and balance on ridges, by evening more challenging. Marked wind chill develops.
How Wet?
Frequent or persistent rain; thunderstorms forming
Areas of rain affect the region much of the day, likely setting in heavier for prolonged periods with some thundery downpours mixed in. Increasingly widespread torrential bursts likely into afternoon, lightning, possible hail.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding mountains widely much of the day, with ragged patches from lower slopes up around heavier rain. Rare breaks toward some higher slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little or no sun. Visibility poor during rain, occasionally improving.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, coolest toward the north, little change all day. Feeling near or below freezing in the stronger wind later.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 6th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 4th Aug 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwest then westerly, 15 to 30mph, strongest over the Cairngorms in the morning, gusts 40mph around dawn.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but affecting comfortable walking at times on some higher slopes. Feeling distinctly chilly.
How Wet?
Showers fading
Showery rain most common toward the north in the morning, tending to fade to be often dry by midday into afternoon. By dusk into night, patchy rain likely develops from the west.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting and breaking above tops
Banks of cloud above 700 to 900m in the morning, lowest in northern areas. Lifting to higher slopes above 1100m during morning, breaks forming above most tops into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun breaking through. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C afternoon. Feeling near freezing, or as cold as -5C on higher tops in the early wind.
Freezing Level
Only just above freezing point on highest Cairngorms summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 7th August 2026
Last updated
Tue 4th Aug 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, trending towards stronger speeds, may reach up to 40mph late in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous with considerable wind chill; a risk becoming arduous over high tops later.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, more frequent west
Rain often affecting Monadhliath and western Cairngorms, heaviest falls towards Drumochter but some drier windows. More often dry to the east but some patches will drift here. A chance of easing more widely later.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain, chance breaks east
Shrouding terrain above 700-900m much of morning, lowest bases western hills with lower patches around rain. A lifting trend, particularly afternoon, bases may approach easternmost Cairngorms summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, rising to 50% eastern Cairngorms
Sunshine and air clarity?
Best chance of sunny glimpses northeast Cairngorms, but otherwise cloud. Excellent visibility where dry and below cloud (best northeast Cairngorms).
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10C, or a degree milder easternmost hills. Feeling near freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
West to southwesterly winds prevail later this week and into the weekend and further weather fronts will come in off the Atlantic to bring low cloud and rain especially to western mountains in Scotland. A brief ridge of high pressure this Thursday offers a better day with the wind lessening for a time and fewer showers, but winds likely strengthen again by Friday, toward gale force over northwestern Scottish mountains at least. Heavy rain likely affects western Scotland on Saturday, becoming widely showery into Sunday. A brief window of improvement is indicated early next week, but a generally unsettled theme likely continues into mid-month.