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.
Wednesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 13th May 2026
Last updated
Tue 12th May 26 at
4:35PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold for the time of year, with a cyclonic and unstable north-westerly bringing an increasingly widespread showery day across the hills. Showers heavy, with hail and risk of isolated thunder. Snow falling above around 700m. Gusty north-westerly winds, particularly strong and turbulent in and around the showers.
Headline for West Highlands
Cold, windy and showery with hail and above 700m snow. Risk thunder.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 25 to 30mph, strongest toward coast, risk increasing all western hills later toward 40mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill, very blustery, may become more challenging in exposure over coastal and island mountains.
How Wet?
Showery, hail and hill snow
Showers mostly coastal mountains early morning, then developing increasingly widely inland, heavy bursts with hail, risk isolated thunder; snow often falling on the Munros, at times down to 700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying quickly over high tops
Cloud frequently changing over the tops, around showers fairly extensive above 900-1000m, ragged patches to 600m, but periods where breaking to clear even highest slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of bright sun and intermittently excellent visibility, but suddenly appalling where in cloud, snow or hail.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C rising to 3C. Wind chill feeling like -10C, nearer -15C as speeds increase.
Freezing Level
900m early morning, rising to 1200m or above into afternoon, but lowering again in showers.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 14th May 2026
Last updated
Tue 12th May 26 at
4:35PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
North-westerly 15 to 25mph
Effect of the wind on you?
Feeling cold for mid May, with considerable chill in the north-westerly wind.
How Wet?
Showers, increasingly widespread.
Initially mostly dry, but showers will develop widely through day, containing hail with snow above 700-900m. Risk, persistent precipitation edging into coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Bases varied, often banked across tops.
Cloud bases varying through day, particularly in and out of showers, but banks may be fairly persistent on tops above 800-1000m. Best breaks in south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Skies often filled in with cloud limiting the sun to glimpses. Visibility very good, but lowering to become poor or very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around freezing
Freezing Level
900-1000m
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 15th May 2026
Last updated
Tue 12th May 26 at
4:35PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 20 to 30mph at dawn, perhaps 35mph easternmost hills, but easing to 10 to 20mph through day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Very blustery start with significant wind chill and buffeting, but hour by hour easing down, to become mostly small.
How Wet?
Isolated snow and hail showers
May be mostly dry, but isolated snow and hail showers, mainly central highlands. Snow falling above 500m initially, rising to 900-1000m.
Cloud on the hills?
Patchy coverage coming and going tops.
Bases will vary through the day, but patches tending to come and go. Perhaps fairly persistent over the tops of the Ben Nevis Range, but may clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun, best early morning and west coast afternoon. Visibility very good, but lowering in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or -2C at dawn, but lifting to plus 1 to 3C into afternoon.
Freezing Level
700-800m at dawn, will lift to 1000-1200m.
Planning Outlook
Staying notably chilly for mid-May through this week as air from the north-northwest prevails, with showers heavy at times and containing hail with snow over the tops, but over the weekend a front will edge in and bring a change to westerly winds. Next week may see ridging across England and Wales giving drier conditions, but occasional rain and blustery south-westerly winds for Scotland.