West Highlands
Western Highlands accessible from, and south of, Glenfinnan (Road to the Isles) and Glen Spean (includes Creag Meagaidh). This area includes Ben Nevis and the mountains around Glencoe. In the east, from Ben Alder south to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP. Also Arran and Mull.
Saturday'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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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
West Highlands
Saturday 26th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 25th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong southwesterly winds, gale-force on Scottish mountains, strengthening in the west. Showery rain and cloud banks in western Scotland, patchy rain extending inland. A little rain in the wind at times and some cloud on western hills of England and Wales, more often dry and less wind further south.
Headline for West Highlands
Strengthening winds, gales; showery rain and cloud on tops.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 30 to 50mph, varying speeds - moderating a little in morning, then sustained speeds tending to rise again into afternoon; typically strongest from Ben Nevis group out to Mull, later gusts 60mph higher mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous-to-arduous walking conditions, buffeting gusts knocking you off balance on exposed terrain, increasingly difficult later on higher terrain; considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain on and off
Showery rain most common toward coastal mountains, sometimes may give steadier rain locally - more often wet later in the day. Mostly light occasional rain for areas well inland and in south, fading at times during middle of day.
Cloud on the hills?
Often capping higher tops
Frequently covering hills above 800m toward coast & sea lochs, at times lower patches. Mostly above 900-1000m inland, but often covering higher slopes, and more broadly over high terrain later as rain develops further.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mostly well inland; more generally cloudy afternoon. Visibility very good where dry and out of cloud, hazier near coasts, reduced in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising to 8C afternoon, little change into night. Feeling like -5 to -8C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 27th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 25th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40-50mph, powerful gusts to 60mph for a time Lochaber. Will lessen later, shift southwesterly, 20-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions well into the day with significant wind chill. Effects will lessen later but remaining blustery.
How Wet?
Rain becomes persistent and heavy
Patchy rain around early, generally damp near and south of Mull, rain becoming frequent and setting in for several afternoon hours, a swathe of torrential rain. Breaking up somewhat only later.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks on high terrain, more extensive afternoon
Cloud often covering high tops, some varied breaks but also broader banks lowering towards 900-1000m. A band of low cloud sweeps in from the west, bases as low as 400-500m west coast briefly, tending to break up again.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%, to 20% for several hours
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun, very good visibility morning, trending cloudier afternoon with a period of poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, later lowering to 5C. Feeling below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 28th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 25th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 20 to 30mph, strongest from Ben Nevis group to Mull, tending to lessen in afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, starting to affect comfortable walking on some exposed high tops and ridges; feeling rather cool.
How Wet?
Showers mostly northwest
Showery rain mostly areas near Mull, west of Loch Linnhe and occasional showers push further into Lochaber, but brief and all tending to fade in the afternoon. More often dry southward toward Loch Lomond.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly west in morning, improving
Banks of cloud most common in the morning toward and west of Loch Linnhe above 800-900m, tending to lift higher up and increasingly break to leave the mountains often free of cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% toward Mull, 70% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy coastal hills in morning, slight haze toward Mull, some sun in afternoon. Inland a patchwork of sun and cloud, visibility mostly very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C rising 7C. Feeling like -2 to -5C in the wind on higher areas in the morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Local pockets of slight frost at dawn inland sheltered glens and some corries.
Planning Outlook
A changeable prospect during the week ahead. Sunday sees extensive rain moving in from the west with heavy bursts, accompanied by powerful southerly winds. Improving for many places into Monday as higher pressure expands in from the south, but showers and brisk winds continue toward northwest Scotland. Strong southeasterly winds by Tuesday, widely gales on mountains with turbulent downslope gusts toward the west; a risk of rain developing from the south during the day, becoming heavy later. Blustery south-southwesterlies into Wednesday and Thursday, showery in the west. Higher pressure tends to expand further north again into early October. Mostly mild temperatures.