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
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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
Monday 26th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Oct 26 at
4:02PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A warm front pushes into Wales around dawn, spreading north and east bringing at least several hours of rain to all mountains, heavy for a time. Becoming unseasonably mild and humid in rain, though feeling cool in widespread gales. North and east Scotland drier and chilly for a few early hours.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Rain sets in from the south with time; wind strengthens to gales
How windy? (On the Munros)
Soon southerly 15-25mph, rapidly strengthening from midday, approaching 50-60mph with powerful gusts at many heights.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be fairly small for a few early hours, but deteriorating to difficult conditions over high terrain afternoon, gusts challenging balance at many heights. Feeling chilly despite mild temperature.
How Wet?
Little precipitation early, persistent rain afternoon
Most hills dry to start, just some spotty rain near and west of A9, snow above 800-900m. Rain approaches from the southwest midday/afternoon, quickly setting in, persistent falls for the rest of the day with a swathe of heavier rain possible.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied early, becoming extensive
Banks of cloud above 800-900m in the morning, may lift and break up just a bit, but then a broad deck of cloud lowering onto the tops as rain approaches, to become extensive to middle slopes, or low slopes southern Cairngorms; bases stay slightly higher northern Cairngorm slopes and Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud, good visibility to start, increasingly clouding over to become overcast, and increasingly dull.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C, slight rise at first, then rapidly afternoon to 8 to 10C, mildest northern slopes and locally warmer. Little change with height and turning humid as temperature warm. Feeling below 0C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
1100m at dawn, lifting well above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 27th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Oct 26 at
4:02PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 60-80mph, may reach 90mph+ over high Cairngorms. Slight westerly shift, lessening somewhat.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions on the mountains, including smaller hills for a time; any mobility difficult and severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers, turning to snow on tops
Showers mostly south and west areas, more scattered towards Glen Avon, but also clustering for a few hours of more widespread rain before breaking into showers again. Turning to snow on tops, later to 700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Tops often covered, regularly lowering
Most terrain above 1100m staying in cloud all day. Bases lower in showers, to around 800-900m at first, but perhaps more extensively towards 700m for a few hours during steady rain. Will break up again, perhaps just high tops later when out of showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some patchy sun, mostly north and east, locally good visibility. Visibility more often poor on tops, to very poor in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 or 4C, or milder east just at dawn; lowering to finish near 1C. Feeling like -15 to -20C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Just above the summits at dawn, lowering towards 900-1000m later, rising again overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 28th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Oct 26 at
4:02PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 35-45mph, varying in this range, stronger at times over high Cairngorms; later nearer lower speeds.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking, stability challenging on high Cairngorms with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain on-and-off
Areas of rain passing west-to-east, drier windows between rain, more often dry to the east. A lingering drizzle on high terrain, and a general damp feeling near and west of the A9.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks over tops, variably lowering
High Cairngorms largely shrouded all day, small chance of breaks to summits during drier windows, but also lowering extensively over high terrain during rain, locally down to 700m near and west of A9.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, some cloudier periods. Good visibility during breaks in rain but variably poor well into the day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C rising to 5C, or locally 6C easternmost Cairngorms. Feeling like -5 to -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Low pressure north of Scotland on Tuesday brings showers with widespread gales, severe over Scottish Highlands with steady, heavy rain, turning to snow on high tops. Pressure builds from the south Wednesday but staying blustery with rain on and off for many, hill cloud clinging to high terrain, and haze towards the west coast. Wind will lessen and shift southerly on Thursday, more bright breaks, milder temperature, and little or no rain remaining. A frontal system brings rain and wind into western areas on Friday, pushing east into evening and perhaps a very unsettled start to Saturday, but then a trend towards high pressure is indicated as the weekend goes. Northwest areas stay cloudier and blustery into Sunday, then more widely settled early next week and possibly longer, cool to mild temperatures.