Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday'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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
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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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 4th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Snow, hail, and wind continues driving into northern Scotland with showers passing into central and western areas; snow coverage fairly widespread in the Highlands. Southern Scotland and England mostly sunny, blustery in exposure. More snow and hail showers for Wales, pushing further east afternoon. Widely very cold.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Frequent snow and hail; bitterly cold in the wind
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-northwesterly 35 to 40mph, squally gusts in showers with the strongest gusts reaching 45mph or higher over the highest tops in the east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe wind chill over the mountains. Arduous walking on snow cover, balance nearly constantly challenged in the east with gusts.
How Wet?
Near-constant snow and hail
Ongoing heavy showers merging into more persistent snow coming in from the north, snow and hail falling and accumulating into the glens. Frequent whiteout over the mountains. Risk of isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive higher areas
Often covering the mountains above 800m, at times 600m or lower in northern Cairngorms. Higher and more varied bases southward, some breaks above 1000m more often; high Cairngorms unlikely to clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% north, to 40% south.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun, best chance south. Visibility often appalling due to snow falling or blowing and where also in cloud; but intermittently very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-7 to -8C; risk as cold as -11C on highest Cairngorm summits. Wind chill feeling like -22C, nearer -25C or colder on the high Cairngorm plateau.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen, staying sub-zero from glens upward.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 5th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 25-35mph, risk speeds to 40mph in exposure. Shifting northwesterly afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Continued severe wind chill over the mountains. Walking often strenuous, arduous with buffeting in exposure.
How Wet?
Near-constant snow showers
Ongoing heavy snow/hail showers from the north, merging into more constant snow northeast Cairngorms; extensive snow cover with frequent whiteout conditions on high ground.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive higher areas
Often covering the mountains above 900m, at times 700m in northern Cairngorms, lowest and most persistent east. Higher and more varied bases south of the Cairngorm plateau, breaks above 1000m more often.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% north, to 40% south.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun, more frequent south. Visibility often appalling due to snow falling or blowing and where also in cloud; but intermittently very good south/west.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-6C (to -9C above 1200m and at dawn in glens). Wind chill feeling as cold as -25C in exposure on Cairngorm plateau.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen, staying sub-zero from glens upward.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 6th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20-25mph, rising with time, reaching 40mph or higher over the summits. Shifting northerly after dark.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous with time and significant wind chill, some variability.
How Wet?
Snow sets in
Bands of showery snow pass east through the morning, setting in as widespread snow for most of the afternoon and into nighttime, heavy for a time.
Cloud on the hills?
Becoming extensive
Variable for several hours, often shrouding the high tops with lowest bases to the west, reaching 600-700m during snow. Some higher breaks in the east for a time. Filling in widely to middle or lower slopes with time as snow sets in.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Lowering to 10% with time
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine unlikely. Moments of very good visibility early, though increasingly appalling as snow sets in with whiteout conditions.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2 or -3C, becoming colder into nighttime. Feeling as cold as -18C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen from the glens upward.
Planning Outlook
Monday stays cold with terrain widely frozen; sunshine inland with continued snow showers along coasts. The weather then turns more variable: fronts begin to approach the country on Tuesday, with cloud gradually becoming widespread on high terrain from the north, an area of snow arriving widely into Scotland and tracking south into England and Wales overnight into Wednesday. Most terrain will stay frozen but a brief local lifting of freezing levels in western areas. Some sunny breaks and snow showers will follow this system. Beyond Wednesday, confidence in forecast detail is significantly lower, but another weather system is indicated for Thursday into Friday, this possibly bringing a swathe of snow, rain, and strong winds to the south and perhaps more widely.