Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday'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 rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where 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 rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 1st April 2026
Last updated
Tue 31st Mar 26 at
4:22PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rain spreads across Scottish Highlands from the northwest, turning to snow as temperature sharply drops. Strong, variable wind here with gale-force gusts. Early hill cloud England and Wales lifts, best breaks east for some sun glimpses. Patchy rain into Snowdonia, Lakeland, and N Pennines late in the day.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Rain sets in and turns to snow; gales, gusty, and variable
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35 to 45mph early, stronger gusts for a time over high eastern hills to 50mph. A sudden, sharp change to northerly wind afternoon, a brief lull, but then restrengthening to similar speeds.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions with buffeting gusts in exposure for much of the day, significant wind chill. Highly variable for a period, but likely remaining at least strenuous, balance nearly constantly challenged.
How Wet?
Heavy rain developing, turns to snow afternoon
Scattered drizzly rain in the west early. Rain arrives from the west around midday, spreading widely with heavy falls through afternoon, increasingly turning to snow, reaching the lower slopes by evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Becoming extensive, soonest west
Covering higher slopes from Cairngorm plateau westwards most or all day above 800-1000m, though breaks well east in the early morning. Cloud soon sets in extensively to lower slopes Monadhliath to Drumochter, likely southern Cairngorms as well, and widely extensive through afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% east in the morning, lowering to less than 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, local brighter moments east of Ben Macdui in the morning. Visibility increasingly poor as rain sets in, becoming very poor in snow, possible whiteout conditions later in the day on high terrain over snow cover.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C through morning, mildest northern Cairngorm slopes. Through afternoon, sudden sharp drop on northern slopes to -2C, slower to drop on southern slopes but a sharp drop here later too, -3C widely by night.
Freezing Level
Above summits well into morning, lowering onto the tops as noon approaches, rapidly lowering to 700m northern slopes, then more widely to 600m afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 2nd April 2026
Last updated
Tue 31st Mar 26 at
4:22PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 10mph or less in the morning, turning southerly and strengthening, 15-25mph, some gustiness.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but beginning to feel blustery in exposure as the afternoon goes.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
A few odd snow flurries in the northeast Cairngorms early, but otherwise a dry day. Afternoon into evening, rain arrives around Drumochter area, snow above 500-600m, spreading more widely overnight.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, mostly high terrain with breaks
Cloud banks above 900-1000m, some lower banks in the morning. With time, cloud lifts, perhaps well broken for several hours, then lowering in the west through afternoon, perhaps to 700-800m Drumochter late in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, likely more extensive for a time. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C lifting to -1C or 0C.
Freezing Level
Likely a widespread frost at dawn. Thaws up to 700-800m perhaps locally higher northern Cairngorms.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 3rd April 2026
Last updated
Tue 31st Mar 26 at
4:22PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable, generally southwesterly 35-50mph with powerful gusts, but may be more variable and lighter for periods.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions likely on the hills, balance will be difficult and feeling chilly. Some variability is probable.
How Wet?
Often snowing/raining, particularly west
Periods of snow and rain, most frequent Drumochter and Monadhliath, snow to 400m but to higher slopes for a time. May merge into broader areas of rain that extend east. Best chance dry windows northern Cairngorms.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, may break somewhat
A blanket of cloud shrouds most hills to the middle slopes, the bases most consistently low around Drumochter and Monadhliath, at times to lower slopes in rain. The highest bases on northern Cairngorms, some chance of breaking above 1000m briefly here.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast and dull with poor visibility, but a few glimpses of sun possible to the north and east where visibility will be good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to -2C to start, likely rising, up to +3 or 4C though timing/detail very uncertain. Feeling like -10 to -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
600-800m from overnight, likely lifting for a period, to or above the summits, lowering again later; timing and detail uncertain.
Planning Outlook
A brief lull in unsettled weather on Thursday with mostly dry, sunny conditions and lighter wind. Atlantic weather patterns and west-southwesterly winds follow behind on Friday and into the Easter weekend, but day-to-day detail is uncertain. Temperature and wind will be variable, periods of gales and possibly often cold over the mountains with snow and hail showers at times to lower elevations at least in Scotland, sometimes more widely. Precipitation generally most frequent west and northwest, though bands of heavy rain will sweep east at times. Some brief windows of drier and brighter conditions, as well as milder days in England and Wales, occasionally milder Scotland too, but soon followed by more Atlantic low pressure.