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
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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
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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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 20th November 2025
Last updated
Wed 19th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Staying cold as northerly winds continue, speeds starting to lessen gradually Scotland. Snow/hail showers in N Scotland, slowly fading. Showers also Cheviots, locally N/W Wales. Mostly sunny elsewhere. All terrain frozen; extensive snow cover over mountains, most substantial NW Highlands & Cairngorms.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Bitter gale force wind lessening. Snow and hail showers start to ease.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 35 to 50mph from dawn, gradually lessening, into afternoon 25-35mph, strongest in east. Lowering further from dusk. Starting to shift westerly later in the night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions with significant wind chill, severe higher mountains; some improvement, but expect buffeting all day higher Cairngorms.
How Wet?
Frequent snow and hail north
Ongoing succession of snow and hail showers coming in from north, most frequent north Cairngorms, chance isolated lightning in morning. Tending to ease later. Fewer showers southwards toward Glen Garry. Snow lying into glens.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive higher areas
Persisting on higher Cairngorms above 900-1000m, at times banks of cloud to 700m or lower in showers, mostly morning. Patches will come and go over higher Monadhliath. Further south, higher bases, breaks at times to tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun, mostly southern areas. Visibility at times appalling when in cloud and snow, but intermittently very good, more often excellent later in day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4 or -5C (to -7C highest summits). Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C, coldest in stronger speeds in morning.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen from glens upward, only partial thawing lowest sunlit slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 21st November 2025
Last updated
Wed 19th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West later southwesterly, strengthening during daytime from 15-25mph to by dusk 40mph, risk after dark 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect conditions to deteriorate, with time more strenuous, risk later difficult on higher mountains, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow moving in from west
Likely dry start, possibly largely dry in easternmost areas all daylight. Snow flurries likely to develop from west, risk becoming persistent near/west of A9. Likely after dark, rain at lower elevations.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little, later lowers from west
Patchy mist some glens and perhaps corries at first, otherwise hills largely clear, possibly much of the daytime. Later, patchy cloud lowering onto tops from west, risk more extensive by evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% later dropping to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud in morning becoming weak, then obscured. Visibility excellent, reducing if snow develops, possibly locally poor late in day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, slow rise, by evening up to 0C. In stronger wind feeling like -15C.
Freezing Level
Much terrain frozen all day to lower slopes, but later in day likely to start rising just above freezing at lower elevations.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 22nd November 2025
Last updated
Wed 19th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20 to 25mph, occasional 30mph higher tops. May become more variable toward and beyond dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Feeling noticeably breezy with marked wind chill; may start to affect ease of walking on higher exposed terrain.
How Wet?
Brief flurries
Often dry, but occasional light showers moving in from west, falling as snow flurries above around 700m, mostly spots of rain lower slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting variably to higher areas
Varied low cloud banks from dawn into morning, becoming mostly confined above 800-1000m, though some lower patches may remain on more southwestern slopes. Breaks best north of Cairngorms.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of sun mostly near Glenmore. Misty areas in morning, then visibility mostly good or locally becoming very good below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C. Feeling like -8C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
900 to 1000m, though terrain lower down at least partly frozen.
Planning Outlook
Winter conditions over the mountains - snow coverage to lower slopes in Scotland, snow and ice cover varied for England & Wales, but much terrain frozen; hard frost into inland valleys and glens into Friday. A front moving into Scotland from the west on Friday brings gales and snow, turning to rain lower down - arriving in England & Wales Friday evening-night. Less cold into the weekend, but higher mountains stay near or just below freezing, particularly Scotland; showers or locally more frequent upland snow over several days forward. Later next week looks at least briefly milder.