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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
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 21st November 2025
Last updated
Thu 20th Nov 25 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Terrain widely frozen after hard frost; snow cover across much upland terrain, or more substantial to lower slopes northern Highlands. A front moves into Scotland, snow then rain in west, cloud lowering. Elsewhere dry, sunshine weakening. Wind strengthening to gale force Scottish mountains.
Headline for West Highlands
Wind increasing to upland gales. Snow turning to rain arriving.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West soon southwesterly, strengthening during daytime from 15-25mph around dawn, to 35-45mph afternoon, risk 50mph up to dusk Lochaber. Starting to ease into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Conditions generally deteriorate, to give strenuous walking, increasingly difficult higher mountains in Lochaber, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow develops, becoming rain from west
A covering of snow over most higher terrain inland, less so toward coast and southwest. Dry much of morning well inland. Snow flurries start to push increasingly from west, becoming persistent Lochaber. Increasingly rain to higher elevations coastal areas near Mull, heavier afternoon. Very little Loch Lomond to Arran until dusk. Turning to rain higher up inland later.
Cloud on the hills?
Patchy, then more extensive Lochaber to Mull
Prior to snow/rain, just patchy cloud on various slopes, clearer areas inland. With time, cloud lowering and filling in across the hills, to around 800m near/west of Loch Linnhe, soonest coasts/islands.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60% dropping to 20% Lochaber later
Sunshine and air clarity?
Any weak early sun soon obscured by thickening high cloud, becoming overcast. Visibility starts excellent, but reducing to poor in rain, very poor in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, rising to -1C inland, up to +1C on islands, then further inland after dark. In stronger wind feeling like -15C.
Freezing Level
Terrain frozen inland to lower slopes, but a rise of freezing level in west toward 800m, most rapid near coast; after dark lifting just above freezing widely higher up.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 22nd November 2025
Last updated
Thu 20th Nov 25 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West or southwesterly 15 to 25mph. May become more variable toward and beyond dusk, then increasing SE'ly into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but some exposed tops and ridges feeling noticeably breezy with marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Showery rain coast, snow inland tops
Showers most frequent coastal areas, here falling as rain toward higher slopes. Brief showers inland falling as snow above 800-900m; often drier well inland. Risk rain and hill snow develops onward into night from southwest.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, lowest coasts
Covering higher mountains most or all day, often shrouding many areas above 800-1000m, sometimes 600m near to coasts and on islands. Inland toward north and east of Ben Nevis, some higher breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare glimpses of sun mostly inland Lochaber. Visibility occasionally very good below cloud and where dry, but reduced to poor if in snow or constant rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C inland, up to 2C coasts and islands. Feeling like -7C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
900 to 1100m, typically highest near coasts and on islands; some lower terrain well inland may remain partly frozen.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 23rd November 2025
Last updated
Thu 20th Nov 25 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Uncertain forecast detail: Likely easterly in range 25 to 40mph, speed may vary; very gusty in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect blustery to challenging conditions, risk considerable buffeting and wind chill over most mountains.
How Wet?
Rain and hill snow most likely south
Risk areas of constant rain, or snow above 700-800m, likely most persistent in southern areas, patchier northwestward, may be very little west of Loch Linnhe.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Covering many mountains all day above 800-1000m, lowest and most persistent Loch Lomond NP to Arran. Higher and more broken cloud westward across Lochaber.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A little weak sun mostly nearer coast. Visibility very good where dry, reduced if in showers, poor if in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 0C. Feeling like -15C if exposed to stronger wind.
Freezing Level
800 to 1000m, plus locally frost lower down in the morning.
Planning Outlook
Changes into the weekend as less cold Atlantic air moves in, but higher mountain terrain at least in Scotland staying frozen with snow cover. A complex area of low pressure circulates over Britain through the weekend, retreating to leave briefly northeasterly winds by Monday; areas of rain and some upland snow, mainly Scotland and high tops in northern England. Winds will vary markedly, some lulls, but risk periods of gales. A brief ridge of high pressure gives a lull by Tuesday, then a shift to milder southwesterlies is likely to bring spells of rain and some thawing to higher levels.