Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today'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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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 18th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold with widespread gales in exposure; powerful gusts and severe wind chill. North and west Scotland often dry and free of cloud; an increasing risk of snow south with time, possibly east as well. English hills largely dry, hill cloud mostly isolated to high Pennines. Cloudier Wales with snow arriving from the south.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales, powerful gusts, severe chill factor; cloud mostly east
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 40-45mph, at times strengthening towards 50mph. Powerful gusts over high tops and towards the northwest, approaching 60mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous-to-challenging conditions all day, including on lower terrain due to chaotic, buffeting gusts, the strongest of which require crouching for stability. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Little or no precipitation
Later in the day, a chance of spotty snow flurries on high slopes accessed from Deeside where in cloud. Otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Most in the east, often clear north and west
Ribbons of cloud around the Cairngorm plateau above 800m, mostly southern slopes with often clear tops to the west; the cloud may be more extensive to the east, notably slopes accessed by Deeside. Largely clear west of Strathspey.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90% Monadhliath, to 50% east Cairngorm plateau
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud, a risk of cloudier conditions in the southeast Cairngorms. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4 or -5C, small change with added height. Many slopes will rise a degree. Feeling like -20C or colder in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain likely widely frozen, some light thaws on sun-exposed low slopes, up to 300-400m in places, then refreezing overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 19th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35-45mph, strong gusts, approaching 55mph over tops and to the north; shifting southerly later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous with severe wind chill; buffeting in exposure making it challenging to stay on your feet.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
A small chance of some snow approaching the central highlands late in the day but likely entirely dry during daylight.
Cloud on the hills?
Cloud banks near Deeside
Cloud banks cling to high slopes near Deeside, high tops of Cairngorm plateau may often be above the cloud layer but the wind pushing ragged patches towards the tops as well.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -2C, some local variability. Feeling like -15 to -18C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Widely frozen from dawn, thaws to 300-400m, locally higher to the north.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty south-southwesterly 25-35mph, shifting SW'ly and strengthening, 40mph at least over high terrain with strong gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking becomes arduous with time; significant wind chill and stability requiring constant effort in exposure.
How Wet?
Periods of snow, increasingly as rain
Snow spreads widely through the morning, rain to low slopes but rising. Precipitation isolates towards Drumochter area with time, only patches drifting north and east, may return more widely later.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
An extensive layer of cloud shrouds the Cairngorm plateau with bases often reaching middle slopes to the south and towards Drumochter. Some variability with higher breaks, best chance of higher breaks on northernmost slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Likely cloudy, a few bright breaks possible here and there. Visibility often poor, but excellent during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, rising, reaching +2C. Feeling like -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m, though variable, some low frosts at dawn; rising with time to just the upper Cairngorm plateau.
Planning Outlook
Much terrain in England and Scotland remains frozen as the weekend approaches. However, freezing level will be less well defined on western slopes as stable downslope flow may warm and thaw frozen ground up to middle elevations, particularly in Wales and England. Friday into the weekend sees a switch to southwesterly winds, bringing milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels. Often cloudy with periods of rain further south, most often affecting western and southern hills where cloud will be lowest and at times drizzly in the south. Often windy with upland gales.