Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Today's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
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 12th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Extensive low cloud blankets the mountains, poor visibility widely; generally damp with drizzle and some steadier rain. Best chance for drier conditions and local higher cloud breaks to the north of major hill groups. Wind speeds will vary, but often blustery around tops. Fairly mild southerly air.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Damp, lowest cloud south, locally better north; varied wind.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, speed varying, 30-40mph at first, easing to 20-25mph, though some stronger speeds and gusts may affect highest summits. Toward evening rising again, to 50mph, or 60mph high tops and stronger gusts after dark.
Effect of the wind on you?
Variable, in places fairly small on some slopes, but prepare for blustery conditions on exposed high terrain. Deteriorating to more difficult conditions later in day, soon severe on higher Cairngorms from dusk.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, mostly toward south
Rain and drizzle soon fairly persistent in the morning, though small amounts north toward Glenmore. A little rain may linger over southern hills, drier periods north in afternoon. After dark, steadier rain returns from the southwest.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest cloud south
Shrouding many hills all day, from mid elevations Glen Garry to Ben Alder, 700-900m Cairngorms to Monadhliath. Northeastern areas may start clearer briefly from dawn. Local higher breaks forming in afternoon away from rain toward north and east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, mostly dull. Some brighter moments north of the Cairngorms, glimpses of sun and good visibility below cloud in afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10C, locally warmer north, little change with added height; slightly warmer into night. Increasingly humid. Feeling below freezing if in stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 13th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, overnight gales ease for a brief early lull to 25mph or less, but rise again in afternoon to 40-50mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
A window of fairly small effects, but beware of deteriorating again during the daytime to become challenging.
How Wet?
Early rain, then showers
Heavy rain up to dawn soon clears away eastwards, leaving a brief drier window, but showers soon follow from the west, these increasingly frequent and heavy with hail, particularly afternoon. Drier toward east.
Cloud on the hills?
Breaks to tops when dry
Varied cloud banks from dawn, but for a few hours then breaking well toward upper slopes with clearer spells in the east. Patches will come and go on high tops, filling in again from west in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine breaking through best toward north for a few hours, but then cloudier. Visibility excellent as rain clears, then reducing around showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Mild 10C overnight but dropping to 7C by dawn, lowering further with time, later 3C. Feeling later like -10C as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but may drop toward 1300m by evening.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 14th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, in range 50 to 80mph, notable increase with height; sustained speeds strongest by afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Buffeting even on lower hills, increasingly severe conditions on high terrain, mobility difficult; powerful downslope gusts.
How Wet?
A little rain, wetter later west
Spots of rain in the wind, most frequent Ben Alder to Drumochter hills, substantially dry furthest north and east. Later in day, more widespread steadier rain arrives from southwest, heavier in west.
Cloud on the hills?
Capping many tops, breaks north & east
Banks of cloud clinging to many upper slopes above 800-1000m, but north and east of the Cairngorm plateau and on Monadhliath the cloud may largely break up for periods.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun, more often north of Cairngorms. Visibility fairly good, but slight haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 8C. Feeling like -7 to -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A very unsettled Atlantic pattern this week. Southwesterly gales strengthen to become severe on the mountains into Wednesday, moderating into Thursday. Frequently raining particularly over western hills, some bands of more extensive heavier rain passing eastwards through midweek. Milder early in the week, then cooler later, with showery conditions by Thursday into Friday on westerly winds - Scottish high summits may drop back close to freezing with some snow falling on higher tops. Indications start to favour higher pressure building into next weekend and early next week for a period of quieter weather and scope for inversion conditions on high terrain.