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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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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 rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 28th October 2026
Last updated
Tue 27th Oct 26 at
12:12PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Still windy - though less so than on Tuesday. Generally showery, although over N England at first, and occasionally through the morning in Scotland, the rain frequent. Higher mountains extensively foggy.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Upland gales, intermittent rain and fog across higher areas.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly typically 40-45mph, stronger particularly morning Cairngorm plateau. Will trend towards lower speeds through daylight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous or widely difficult walking and significant wind chill where exposed on higher areas; particularly challenging on Cairngorm plateau.
How Wet?
Occasional rain
Showery rain coming through from time to time, mainly affecting areas west of the A9. Little if any rain near and east of Braemar. Sleet or snow highest tops.
Cloud on the hills?
Persistently covering higher areas - highest cloud base eastern mountains
Morning: cloud rising to above 800 to 1100, highest toward and east of Braemar. Afternoon: Expect general deterioration, from Ben Alder to southern summits in Cairngorms NP patches form at 600m whilst most cloud remains above 800m elsewhere.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun, mainly lower areas Cairngorms and Deeside. Hazy at best, and visibility poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C - rising marginally through daylight. Will feel as cold as minus 9C where exposed.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 29th October 2026
Last updated
Tue 27th Oct 26 at
12:12PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 25 to 35mph, perhaps at times 45mph, mainly Cairngorm plateau.
Effect of the wind on you?
On higher slopes, walking difficult and wind chill significant.
How Wet?
Rain unlikely
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, increasingly likely to clear northwards across Cairngorms NP.
Generally cloud base progressively higher northwards: From Ben Alder east to summits accessed north of Glen Garry: low cloud, perhaps throughout the day from around 300 to 500m upwards. Monadhliath and N Cairngorms: May clear at times, but typical base 1050m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% south to 50% northern mountains
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patches of sun and very good visibility mainly Monadhliath and N Cairngorms NP. Progressively duller and mistier southwards.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 30th October 2026
Last updated
Tue 27th Oct 26 at
12:12PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40mph. Will probably ease afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect walking to be strenuous and balance difficult and wind chill significant where exposed.
How Wet?
Little if any rain
Confidence low: A front edging in from west may later bring pockets of drizzle, mostly likely west of A9 and perhaps southern hills in Cairngorms NP.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly confined to higher tops - but may deteriorate during day
Monadhliath to Deeside: Cloud confined above 900 to 1200m, and may clear at times - but threat mainly west of A9 of base lowering afternoon. Further south, confidence low with increasing threat from west of cloud increasingly shrouding areas above 500m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sunshine, mainly northern Cairngorms NP but may turn cloudy from west. Mostly very good visibility..
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A hint of a change as pressure builds across Britain from the coming weekend as the present stormy weather gradually subsides. On Friday and into the weekend, a final front could well become almost stationary for a day or so before fizzling out - still uncertainty as to its position (thus its footprint of rain and low cloud) in the otherwise improving picture as it becomes fine with light wind on the hills and overnight frost in lowland and upland valleys.