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.
Friday'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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 10th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A few morning snow flurries in west Scotland, then dry and sunny for most. Cloudier in Wales, some light afternoon rain; high cloud gradually weakening the sun more widely. Wind strengthens from the west afternoon, most notably in Scotland where reaching gale-force in exposure by evening, severe in west around dusk.
Headline for West Highlands
Chilly with morning sun; increasingly windy, gales later in day
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15-20mph at dawn. Shifting southerly, easing for a few hours well inland, then strengthening southeasterly through afternoon to later 45-60mph, strongest soonest coastal mountains Arran to Mull; reaching 70mph dusk onward.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small much of morning, some blustery spots in exposure near the coast, then a rapid deterioration through afternoon, quickest coast and islands, where walking becomes difficult later with severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Mostly dry; some early showers, patchy snow/rain later
Well-scattered snow showers at dawn, soon just odd light spots of snow on coastal/island Munros, most hills dry afternoon. Patchy snow arrives in south later, rain below 400-600m, moving north and setting in widely heavier overnight.
Cloud on the hills?
Patchy over high terrain early, clear much of afternoon
Banks of cloud above 900m in the morning, some odd lower patches at dawn, but the cloud generally broken. Cloud soon lifts and dissipates off the hills for largely clear hills by afternoon, a few fleeting caps on the high tops of Arran to Mull. Late in the day, patchy cloud returns to high tops from the south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Soon rising to 80%, deteriorating south late in the day.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny through morning, some high cloud around, this tending to spread more widely through afternoon with fair weather cloud building as well. Very good visibility, some early haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2 or -3C, rising to 0C. Later, feeling as cold as -15 to -18C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
400-600m early in day, highest along the coast. Also some frost in inland glens. Gradually lifting to 800m, locally toward 1000m where sunny afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 11th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 30-40mph, quite variable, and stronger at dawn. Later afternoon, strengthening again, 45-55mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking with significant wind chill all day, later speeds challenging forward mobility along the coast.
How Wet?
Frequent snow/hail showers
Frequent morning snow and hail showers, falling as rain below 500m, a risk of isolated lightning. The showers often merging into broader areas of precipitation. Easing afternoon, fewest showers in the north.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly early, improving to many clear tops
Most Munros shrouded at dawn from at least 800m and up, lower bases on southern slopes, soon beginning to lift and break from the west coast and gradually more widely. Cloud returns to summits above 1000-1100m in showers, other Munros often clear through afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine increasingly common, perhaps more extensive later. Very good visibility but suddenly very poor in rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Variable between -1 to +1C, coolest early. Feeling like -15C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Variable, around 600-700m, lower frosts in the morning, and tending to rise, perhaps towards 900m.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 12th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 9th Apr 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, uncertainty about peak speeds, likely varying 30 to 50mph, chance 60mph+ for a time higher mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect often arduous walking with powerful squally gusts knocking you off balance. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Heavy showers, hail, snow
Broadly showery all day, clustering into more frequent to near-constant precipitation for periods; heavy bursts with hail, snow at times falling toward 600m, risk of isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying, but fairly extensive
Frequently covering higher terrain above 800 to 1000m, some patches to 600m or lower in showers, but brief breaks to upper slopes. Better breaks typically inland north/east of Ben Nevis group.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief moments of bright sunshine. Visibility changing suddenly from occasionally very good to appalling at times in snow/hail and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1 or 2C. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
Mostly 1000m or above, may be briefly lower, particularly around showers.
Planning Outlook
Showers and sunshine this weekend, windy with gales at times, and cool temperatures bringing snowflakes to some middle slopes. Variable weather regimes next week: Atlantic west-southwesterly winds likely dominant, with low pressure to the northwest of the country, bringing cloud, rain, and mild temperatures, often followed by sun, showers, and cooler temperatures; rain will be increasingly common to the high Munros, but the snowfall level will lower too during periods of cooler weather, and perhaps to high Lakeland fells, though any snow unlikely to accumulate here. Next weekend, indications of high pressure increasingly building, bringing drier and brighter conditions with mild days, though the risk remains of occasional rain and cooler temperatures, notably in Scotland.