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.
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.
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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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.
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
West Highlands
Thursday 3rd September 2026
Last updated
Wed 2nd Sep 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong to gale-force winds over high terrain. A lot of cloud, shrouding all western hills, plus patchy rain and drizzle, becoming heavier persistent falls in the west later; a swathe of more intense rain develops for southwest Scotland into northwest England by evening, later into north Wales.
Headline for West Highlands
Gales on tops; damp and cloudy, some heavier rain at times.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly between 35 to 50mph, will vary somewhat, tops speeds approach 55mph, more sustained later in day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking in exposure most of the day, some more challenging moments with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, showery for a time
Patchy rain drifts from the west much of the day, generally light and well-inland hills often dry. Rain will become more frequent with heavy falls for a few hours during afternoon and onward to evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Rising towards higher inland terrain, staying lower coasts
Fairly extensive above 600m early, lowest towards the coast; bases rise, breaks approaching high terrain around Rannoch Moor. Elsewhere, breaks above 800-900m rare, and more widely lowering for a few hours.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% west, to 40% well inland.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some patchy sunshine, thin high cloud, and sometimes more overcast south. Good visibility under cloud, but hazy particularly along the coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C. Feeling below freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 4th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 2nd Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwest then westerly, 40 to 55mph, at times 60mph higher summits, stronger gusts on highest tops 70mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous to difficult walking conditions, frequent buffeting knocking you off balance on exposed terrain. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Often raining
Rain on and off throughout the day, more frequent for periods with some steady rain mixed with heavier showery bursts, may break up a little into afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas, lower coasts
Fairly persistent over many western groups above 500-700m, lowest near the coast and during rain. Well inland the cloud base higher, some breaks above 800-900m, tending to rise a little into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% coasts, 30% well inland.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, brief glimpses of sun well inland. Visibility often reduced by rain, locally good below cloud especially east; a general haze near the coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C, little change all day. Directly in the wind, feeling like -5C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 5th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 2nd Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30-40mph at dawn, soon easing to 20-25mph, turning southwest later southerly; rising from dusk to 50-70mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and chilly start, but lessening to be fairly small until evening. Deteriorating significantly into night.
How Wet?
A few showers, risk rain later
Showers mostly coastal mountains early in the day tending drift inland but becoming well scattered and light, fading with time. From dusk into night, risk of sustained heavy rain developing from south.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting, breaks to some tops
Cloud banks drift over hills above 800-1000m in the morning, lowest further west. Base rising mostly above 1000m by middle of day, but patches may come and go into afternoon on higher tops and near coast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun inland, high cloud tending to build from south later. Visibility very good inland, slight coastal haze in west.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 8C afternoon, little change or rising a degree or so higher into night. Feeling like -5C in the wind at first.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A series of weather systems moves in from the Atlantic over the next 10 days to bring spells of rain and showers, accompanied by frequently strong to gale force mountain winds. A window of better weather is likely on Saturday for Scotland and northern England, but further rain is expected to move in from the southwest by Saturday night and Sunday, heaviest western Scotland; a risk of more powerful upland gales developing over Scotland into Sunday. Temperatures will vary, mildest toward the south, but some cooler air moves in from the north at times bringing higher Scottish tops close to freezing point.