Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
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.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 27th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 26th Aug 26 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Heavy, thundery rain moves north through Wales and England, showery thunderstorms following in Wales; beware sudden gusts, rapidly rising streams, and local flooding. Hill cloud and a little patchy rain in east Scotland; much of west Scotland clear of cloud, though some haze around.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
A little light rain, fog locally breaking west; warm
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally southeasterly, some variability, 20-30mph early with strong gusts locally approaching 40mph., easing towards 15-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure early with buffeting, easing to fairly small effects.
How Wet?
Some patchy rain
Patchy rain drifts from the east from time-to-time, areas near and west of Strathspey seeing only rare spots. A rising risk of more frequent patches with time but always light in nature.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, breaking a bit
Low cloud shrouds most hills from dawn, rolling over the high Cairngorms (highest west summits perhaps out of cloud). Lifting to shroud high terrain, above Monadhliath summits. Cloud lingers over Cairngorms, lowest bases around Deeside staying below 900m, but may break up for a bit afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun breaks towards Strathspey/Monadhliath, where visibility becomes very good. Cloudier east, poor visibility due to fog and haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 or 11C rising to 14C Monadhliath; staying cooler east, least rise east Cairngorms.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 28th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 26th Aug 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northeasterly shifting northwesterly, 10-20mph, strongest east, and later strengthening, gusts to 35mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but becoming quite blustery over high eastern terrain with some buffeting gusts.
How Wet?
Persistent drizzle, turning heavier
Drizzle rarely ceases, particularly northern Cairngorms, patchy rain increasingly sets in for extended heavy falls for much of the day. Some streams in spate, risk of localised flooding.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Hills shrouded from at least middle slopes upward most of the day, persistent to low slopes northern Cairngorms where forming into glens/corries in rain. Slight rise, highest towards Braemar, but unlikely much above 700-800m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull. Poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 12C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 29th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 26th Aug 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally westerly but variable, 10-15mph and often less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small.
How Wet?
Drizzly, a few light spots
Drizzly on high tops through morning at least, damp onto lower northern Cairngorms to start as well. Drizzle will fade, though a few spots of light rain break out here and there. Widely small rainfall totals.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, some improvements
Cloud shrouds most terrain above 500-600m early, lowest bases north where into glens/corries briefly. A lifting trend, may break up somewhat, though breaks above 1000m unlikely, and locally filling in again later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of weak sun. Mostly poor visibility on high tops; will locally improve where cloud lifts.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C, rising a degree, locally to 11C Deeside.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Heavy, thundery rain affects England, Wales & eastern Scotland on Friday, prolonged heavy falls bringing a risk of local flooding. A westerly wind will establish over the weekend, drawing cloud and drizzle onto western high terrain, several frontal systems sweeping more broadly across the country. The strongest wind and heavy rain may pass mostly across England and Wales, with the lightest rain in Scotland. Hills often shrouded in cloud, low patches around rain; only local improvements. A west-southwesterly weather track prevails next week: cloud and drizzle on western hill groups (particularly west Scotland), breezy with areas of rain regularly spreading widely at times. A few brighter interludes through the week, and a chance of a more settled window in the south into the weekend.