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.
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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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.
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
Tuesday 29th September 2026
Last updated
Mon 28th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A windy start strengthens to widespread gales, powerful gusts not just on high terrain. Feeling chilly despite mild-to-warm temperatures, increasingly humid too. Some patchy rain and cloud moves north through Wales into England and later Scotland; northwest Scotland bright and dry well into the day.
Headline for West Highlands
Gales, later severe; rain and cloud arrive through afternoon
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35 to 45mph, turbulent gusts downslope to northwest. Speed rises, to sustained 50-55mph afternoon, further strengthening into evening and overnight, gusting up to 80mph or stronger over highest tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking soon widely challenging, maintaining balance increasingly difficult in gusts, particularly west where strongest gusts can knock you over. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain slowly develops afternoon
Spots of rain develop as high cloud thickens, drizzle around Loch Lomond NP. Pulses of steadier rain likely spread in from the south later afternoon, notably central highlands, more frequent into evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Filling in through afternoon
Banks of cloud forming soonest over southern hills, some broader banks drifting northward but also some clear breaks into afternoon. A broader layer of cloud tending to filter northwards with to cover many upper slopes through afternoon, best of breaks toward and west of Loch Linnhe until late.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Weak sun through high cloud, trending towards more frequent cloudy conditions afternoon, notably well inland. Good visibility then hazier, reducing if rain occurs.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising to 10C. Increasingly humid, furthering rising into evening, most areas to 11C and locally milder coastal Lochaber. Feeling like -2 to -5C, or cooler in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 30th September 2026
Last updated
Mon 28th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 40 to 60mph, but at times 70mph over higher summits, and more widely early.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, frequent buffeting knocking you off balance, any mobility at times difficult.
How Wet?
Morning heavy rain, afternoon showers
A band of heavy rain moves northeastward across the region during the morning, breaking up and followed by showers, which may cluster later afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting with best breaks inland
Extensive cloud over the hills in early rain, then lifting rapidly and clearing toward upper slopes, though patches will linger, most persistent south-coastal areas, and may spread more broadly over high terrain again later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50% for a time
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent sun breaking through. Poor visibility in rain, then improving, but coastal areas stay fairly hazy.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Humid 12C or above from dawn, dropping during the day to a fresher 8C. Feeling near/below freezing in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 1st October 2026
Last updated
Mon 28th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, strongest west Loch Linnhe. Will vary, perhaps to below 20mph Ben Lomond/Rannoch Moor.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small in places, but blustery over the tops of Lochaber, some buffeting in gusts and notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers
Showers stream onto mountains west of Loch Linnhe most of the day, some extended falls. Well-scattered elsewhere, but afternoon brings an increased risk of showery outbreaks more widely.
Cloud on the hills?
Breaking towards most tops, sometimes above
Most tops start shrouded, broader banks above 800-900m south and west near coasts, lower patches in shelter. Bases lift and break up somewhat, many inland summits seeing breaks. High tops Mull and north see fewer breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, extended sunny windows breaking out though high cloud building. Very good visibility, a haze offshore of Lochaber.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C. Feeling below 0C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A band of rain moves northeast through early Wednesday, leaving fresher and blustery south-southwesterlies into Wednesday and Thursday, showery in the west but often bright between showers, particularly eastern areas. Friday will be a wetter day again, the rain quite frequent with extensive cloud over western hill groups and quite windy in England and Scotland. On Saturday, higher pressure tends to expand from the south, bringing more settled weather to England and Wales; temperatures generally mild, some cool nights when skies are clear. Scotland will stay cloudier and windier, particularly in northern areas early next week, some drizzle in the northwest and occasionally broader bands of rain slipping eastward.