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.
Today's Forecast
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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
Sunday 30th August 2026
Last updated
Sat 29th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Areas of rain and low cloud around many mountains. Some drier periods in the morning, but into afternoon increasingly widespread heavy downpours and thunderstorms develop. Fairly light winds for much of the Highlands, becoming breezier England, stronger winds on Welsh mountains.
Headline for West Highlands
Rain and increasingly thundery bursts, low cloud.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly or variable, 5 to 15mph, speed varying, often strongest near coast, tending to rise, at times 20mph afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small, sudden gusts in showers.
How Wet?
Patchy rain develops into widely heavy bursts; risk of lightning
Areas of rain and drizzle from dawn into the morning, locally a burst of rain. Some drier windows, but rain becomes frequent widely onward into afternoon, heavy bursts merging to constant heavy rain, risk of hail and thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, brief local breaks
Shrouding most terrain from middle slopes upward, locally into the glens where rain occurs. Briefly lifting for a rare breaks above 1000-1100m, but increasingly extensive again over high terrain as rain increases, and lowering.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% rising to 40% for a time
Sunshine and air clarity?
Generally cloudy, murky in rain. Visibility occasionally better where dry around middle of day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C, slight rise during day.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 31st August 2026
Last updated
Sat 29th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15-25mph early morning, strongest south, but widely increasing to 30mph by middle of day, gusts 40mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small to start, but increasingly blustery affecting ease of walking, soonest in south. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain on and off, fading with time west
Showery rain much of the day, some drier moments mainly well inland early morning, then some heavier bursts move well inland briefly, becoming widely drier afternoon. Patchy rain returns from west into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowest morning, lifting higher
Fairly widespread to low elevations early in day, the base tending to rise to 800-1000m, or higher well inland, some breaks forming higher more often later afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, brief glimpses of sun, locally more frequent sun near coast during afternoon. Visibility good away from showers, some coastal haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C tending to lower during day to 6C. Feeling near then just below freezing as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Last updated
Sat 29th Aug 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 25 to 40mph, speeds may vary, risk stronger gusts over 50mph for a few hours, mainly morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking conditions, buffeting affecting balance on exposed ridges. Risk difficult for a time. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain for a time, then showers
A few hours of rain passing southeastward, most likely in the morning, breaking up into showers, these briefly heavy.
Cloud on the hills?
High tops mostly covered
Covering the hills fairly widely above 600-800m in the morning, lowest near coast. Bases rising, but often capping western tops above 900m, higher breaks inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun mainly afternoon. Visibility poor in rain, then often good, though some haze toward coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, little change all day. Feeling sub-zero in the wind, -5C if in stronger speeds on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A generally unsettled outlook during the first two weeks of September with frequent rain and strong winds. Low pressure dominates and a series of frontal systems move in from the Atlantic. West to southwesterlies, often gale force over the mountains in the second half of this week. Heavy rain most prolonged in the west where increasingly wet underfoot, streams rising to be in spate. Low cloud often covering the hills. Temperatures varying, some notably cooler days for Scotland, at times more humid air mainly toward the south.