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.
Saturday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
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
Saturday 5th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Brisk and chilly westerly winds in the morning, starting gale-force on high tops in Scotland, but lowering speeds. A little light rain, brief showers mainly western Scotland with varied cloud on tops. Often dry with cloud breaks to tops for eastern Highlands, England and Wales, some sun and hazy high cloud.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy start, briefly gales, lessening, occasional light showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 40 to 50mph at dawn with briefly stronger gusts Ben Nevis group. Easing during morning to 25-30mph, nearer 20mph afternoon. Turning southwesterly and increasing again a little to 30mph by dusk. Rising into night to 50-60mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and chilly start, more challenging for an hour or so around dawn with considerable wind chill. Lessening to be fairly small into afternoon. Deteriorating significantly into night.
How Wet?
A few showers, local drizzle; rain into night
Showers mostly coastal mountains early in the day tending drift inland but becoming well scattered and light. In afternoon, some drizzly rain may return over an hour or so mainly near Mull into Lochaber. From dusk into night, rain developing from southwest, some sustained heavier falls with time into night.
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 come and go into afternoon on higher tops and near coast, lowering again briefly if rain occurs.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 60% inland and south
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 early wind, colder at first on highest tops; then +2C afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 6th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southwesterly 45 to 60mph, powerful gusts through passes and on some downslopes to the north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions on exposed terrain walking and balance difficult in places. Feeling cool in exposure despite mild air.
How Wet?
Frequent to persistent rain
Rain and drizzle fairly persistent most western mountains, some sustained heavier falls possible later. Patchier smaller amounts well inland and south, fading for a few hours middle of day-afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Blanket low cloud across many mountains particularly west and southern groups, higher bases some northern aspects mainly in Lochaber.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little or no sun. Hazy at best, poor visibility in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 12C, humid all day, rising on some slopes to 14C; cooling into night. Feeling near to 0C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 7th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 45 to 60mph, but likely often 70mph higher Ben Nevis group, and risk speeds rising widely during day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions over the mountains likely increasingly widely, any mobility very challenging high up. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent to prolonged heavy rain
Showery rain merging into constant falls of heavy rain, particularly western areas from Lochaber to Mull. Chance of thunder. Wet underfoot, fast-flowing streams.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly persistent higher areas
Often capping most high mountains, bases varying around rain, but rarely above 800m toward coasts, at times 600m. Sometimes lifting to 1000m or above inland, best breaks near Rannoch Moor to Glen Spean.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional brief sun well inland. Hazy particularly toward coasts, visibility widely poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, little change all day. Feeling like -7 to -10C in the wind on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled onward into next week with spells of rain and showers moving in from the Atlantic, accompanied by frequently strong to gale force mountain winds. Temperatures will vary, mildest toward the south, but cooler air moves in from the north at times bringing higher Scottish tops occasionally close to freezing point. Indications favour improving weather patterns during mid-month as high pressure builds from the south.