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
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
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.
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.
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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
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.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 27th November 2025
Last updated
Wed 26th Nov 25 at
1:07PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Powerful south to south-westerly winds, bringing widespread upland gales with rain on and off, frequent or constant for western mountains, and persistent fog across the hills. Later a cold front will move in, clearing to squally showers Scotland around dusk.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales or severe gales with severe wind chill. Pules of rain and extensive hill fog.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly, strengthening through day, & quickly with height to widely 60mph where exposed on higher tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe wind chill and walking difficult. Where exposed on higher areas, generally mobility a struggle.
How Wet?
Rain on and off
Pulses of rain, most frequent Ben Alder and southern Cairngorms NP, very little toward Deeside.
Cloud on the hills?
Mountains persistently foggy.
Persistent cloud from 300 to 550m Ben Alder and southern Cairngorms NP. Elsewhere, cloud base between 600m and 1000m (generally highest Deeside and near Cairngorm ski centre).
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of weak sun lower slopes northernmost Cairngorms/Deeside. Visibility widely poor in rain; otherwise hazy.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C. Will feel as cold as minus18C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 28th November 2025
Last updated
Wed 26th Nov 25 at
1:07PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 50 to 70mph, perhaps topping 80mph for a time over northern tops in the morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Extensively difficult or very difficult conditions with severe wind chill and buffeting. Strong gusts into glens.
How Wet?
Showers increasingly, snow upper slopes.
Showers increasingly moving in. Most widely to hills from Ben Alder to Drumochter. Snow above 700m or so. Few reaching eastern hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Occasional covering tops
Bases varying markedly, but extensively covering tops Ben Alder to Drumochter. More on and off tops elsewhere, down to 700-800m in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun, perhaps frequent in east. Visibility ranging from very good, to poor or very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C
Freezing Level
800-900m
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 29th November 2025
Last updated
Wed 26th Nov 25 at
1:07PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Low confidence in forecast: Most likely northerly, 15 to 25mph, may increase to 30 to 40mph through day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for significant wind chill in the north wind and some buffeting, which may increase through day.
How Wet?
Scattered snow and hail showers
Scattered snow and hail showers, becoming increasingly confined to northern parts. May ease away completely.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying, covering tops fairly widely.
Cloud cover variable across area, but scope for fairly extensive coverage across the tops above 800-1000m, with the best breaks in the south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Sunshine and air clarity?
A mix of cloud and patchy sun; the latter mostly in the south. Visibility excellent, but poor or very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around -2C
Freezing Level
Around 600m
Planning Outlook
Colder over the weekend again, but much uncertainty on the track of a small scale low on Saturday which would bring rain, upland snow and a core of strong winds for a time, most likely England and Wales. Sunday then mostly dry, bright and cold. Next week,. a long series of Atlantic lows passing north of or across Britain will bring high rainfall to western mountains together with frequent upland gales (sometimes stormy) and low cloud. Freeze-thaw cycles, with periods of fresh snow for Scottish hills especially.