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.
Tuesday'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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Last updated
Mon 31st Aug 26 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A swathe of rain and gales sweeps across the Scottish Highlands, moving over the Southern Uplands with time; bright sun breaks and scattered showers follow from the northwest. Patchy rain for western hills of England and Wales, sunny breaks east. Blustery with rain increasing later in north England.
Headline for West Highlands
Morning rain and gales; easing, becoming largely dry north
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 40 to 55mph, some variability and briefly stronger with gusts above 60mph in exposure. Lessening somewhat later but unlikely below 30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking, buffeting affecting balance on exposed ridges and more difficult conditions for several hours. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain for a time, then showers
A few hours of rain passing eastward through morning, setting in persistent for several hours with heavy falls, a remote risk of a flash of lightning. Rain will clear south, well-scattered showers following, mostly towards the coast with dry windows. Rain lingers longest from Glencoe southward.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, breaking from the north
Extensive above 600-800m in the morning, lowest near coast, more widely to low slopes during heaviest rain. Bases rise from the north afternoon towards 700-900m, breaks increasingly higher, though slow to clear the high tops. Staying more extensive Glencoe southward until late.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%, later rising to 40% northern hill groups
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull with poor visibility through morning. Sun breaking out afternoon from the north, particularly on low slopes, visibility becoming very good though some haze towards the coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising slightly, locally to 9C inland. Beginning to cool afternoon in Lochaber, and more widely with time towards 6C into evening. Feeling sub-zero in the wind, to as cold as -7C in strongest gusts.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 2nd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 31st Aug 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally southerly, some variability, 10-20mph, later strengthening and shifting southwesterly, to 40mph into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small during daylight, deteriorating evening into night to strenuous conditions.
How Wet?
Mostly south, spreading widely
Frequent rain on mountains from Glencoe southward, some heavy bursts, a few drier windows too. More patchy north, more often dry, but becoming more widespread for several hours later.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Sheet-like cloud shrouds southern hill groups from middle slopes upward, often to lower slopes towards the coast around rain. Starting fairly extensive north, tending to lift and may break up somewhat, but breaks above 900-1000m unlikely, and filling in again with time.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few sunny glimpses towards the north, but otherwise mostly cloudy. Poor visibility on high terrain, very good out of cloud but generally deteriorating.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 10C; starting warmer south, and temperature stays elevated into night. Feeling near freezing in late wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 3rd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 31st Aug 26 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly between 35 to 50mph, will vary somewhat, tops speeds approach 55mph.
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.
Cloud on the hills?
Rising towards higher inland terrain
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?
30%
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.
Planning Outlook
Strong wind (often gale force on high mountains), patchy rain, and some broader swathes of rain and wind will affect the country from mid-week into the weekend; most notable areas of rain on Wednesday and late Thursday overnight into Friday. A few bright glimpses here and there, but many high summits stay shrouded, particularly western hill groups where cloud will often reach lower slopes. A brief bright window for some on Saturday, but staying windy with scattered showers in northwest areas, rain returning later and into Sunday. The next week remains generally unsettled, and may well bring a deep low pressure systems with widespread gales and swathes of heavy rain. Beyond next week, indications of a more settled regime for a time.