Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday'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.
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.
Strong warm sunshine
High UV levels, feeling very warm when ascending, beware of dehydration and sunburn.
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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.
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.
Strong warm sunshine
High UV levels, feeling very warm when ascending, beware of dehydration and sunburn.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 25th May 2026
Last updated
Sun 24th May 26 at
4:40PM
Summary for all mountain areas
High pressure brings another extensively sunny and unseasonably hot day for England and Wales, with valley temperatures from Peak District into Wales up to 30C in afternoon. Also very warm sunshine southern and eastern Scotland, but still blustery south-westerly with low cloud and patchy drizzly rain northwest Scotland.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Blustery, mostly dry with cloud lifting off hills with warm sunshine. Best in east.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-westerly 20 to 30mph, strongest across the Cairngorm Plateau in the morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and gusty, especially across northern hills in the morning with considerable buffeting.
How Wet?
Very likely dry
Perhaps a little spill over in occasional spots in the wind in the morning. Otherwise, dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting and breaking off the tops
May well be patches of banks capping tops for a time in the morning, especially toward Ben Alder. By afternoon, most cloud breaking above the tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Lifting to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloud layers thinning and breaking to reveal spells of sunshine. Visibility very good or excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 12C, highest in the east where locally may reach 13C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 26th May 2026
Last updated
Sun 24th May 26 at
4:40PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 10 to 20mph at first, perhaps 25mph Cairngorm Plateau, but easing to 10mph or less by afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery start, but soon becoming small as the winds ease out.
How Wet?
No rain expected
Cloud on the hills?
Early cap cloud will clear by midday
Patches or caps of cloud over the tops, most widely Ben Alder, but lifting off the tops by midday. Then hills clear through the rest of the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine coming through widely, most extensive in the east. Visibility very good or excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C at dawn, lifting hour by hour to 8 to 10C by mid afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 27th May 2026
Last updated
Sun 24th May 26 at
4:40PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Varying in direction, or very weak southerly, 5 to 10mph, but perhaps flat calm for periods.
Effect of the wind on you?
Negligible
How Wet?
Most likely dry
Small risk of isolated spots of drizzle where in low cloud.
Cloud on the hills?
Low cloud dispersing; hills then clear.
Patches of banks of low cloud, perhaps perhaps right into the glens up to mid slopes; upper slopes clear above. Dispersing readily to leave hills clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% lifting to 90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine at first, mainly in west and over the upper slopes, but soon expanding to all slopes by midday. Visibility good or very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 lifting to 10 to 14C, highest temperature Cairngorm Plataeu over to Monadhliath.
Freezing Level
Well above the summits
Planning Outlook
High pressure dominates this week with early patchy low cloud, mainly coastal hills dispersing to give widespread warm or very warm sunshine, still reaching into the high 20s on Tuesday Peak District into Wales with high humidity, which may spark off the odd thunderstorm, before peak daytime temperatures come down a little, when cooler for eastern hills. Chance of well scattered shower development from midweek as a gusty south-easterly develops for western hills. Pressure lowering next weekend into next week.