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.
Thursday'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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Thursday 29th October 2026
Last updated
Wed 28th Oct 26 at
12:04PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy Scottish, particularly NW Highlands. Across upland Britain, low cloud will give extensive fog, breaking in some areas (notable N Scotland and Wales) through the day, but holding on in others. Mild.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy particularly near coast. Extensively foggy, least so Lochaber.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly increasing quickly with height to 25 to 30mph but perhaps intermittently 35mph Mull.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small lower slopes, particularly well inland but particularly near and west of Loch Linnhe, expect wind to make walking arduous and give marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Substantially dry, a little rain near coast.
Pockets of drizzly rain may come and go on summits near Clyde sea lochs, Jura and Mull, and possibly fine drizzle in cloud increasingly Loch Lomond NP.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive islands & Loch Lomond NP. Inland, cloud base rising northwards.
Very varied: near Clyde sea lochs, Jura and Mull, fog shrouding particularly south facing coastal slopes from around 300m, sometimes 500m. Cloud base near 600m north across Loch Lomond NP, and north toward Lochaber up to 1050m. May sometimes clear toward and north of Glen Spean.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% Lochaber; 20% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloud breaking to give patches of sun, Lochaber, mainly near Glen Spean/Loch Treig. Perhaps hazy near the coast; otherwise only slight haze and generally very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C - but will feel below freezing point in the wind on coastal mountains.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 30th October 2026
Last updated
Wed 28th Oct 26 at
12:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 35 to 45mph, strongest Lochaber in morning. Speeds nearer 30mph near Clyde sea lochs,
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect walking or general mobility to be difficult and wind chill significant.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle slowly extending inland
A front edging in from west likely to increasingly shroud Mull and west of Loch Linnhe in rain. Patches of rain, generally amounting to very little will tend to extend slowly east through the day, but perhaps little if any central highlands.
Cloud on the hills?
Probably persistent west of Loch Linnhe, may increasingly form elsewhere
Confidence low: Low cloud probably filling in from lower slopes up Mull and west of Loch Linnhe. This may well extend to hills near the sea lochs of Argyll and possibly later more widely - particularly Loch Lomond NP.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Dull and misty west of Loch Linnhe, whilst elsewhere, patchy sun and very good visibility ahead of a trend toward becoming duller and in rain misty.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 31st October 2026
Last updated
Wed 28th Oct 26 at
12:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southwesterly 25mph, tending to ease through daylight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly fairly small
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle, particularly west
A broad swathe of rain will progress slowly southeastwards into or across the W Highlands. The rain heaviest west of Loch Linnhe, but periods of drizzly rain may well reach Loch Lomond NP, possibly Arran, though only patchy north of Rannoch Moor.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering most higher areas all or most of day
Fog likely to shroud near all summits, the highest cloud base, 700 to 1000m, will be northward across Lochaber. Elsewhere, cloud lower, sometimes forming lowest slopes west of Loch Linnhe, Jura and near Clyde sea lochs.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine not expected and visibility often poor due to rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
High pressure will bring many days of fine weather and frequently little wind next week. Beforehand there is one 'troublesome' front to contend with: On Friday and the weekend its zone of low cloud and patches of drizzly rain drifts into NW Scotland and then slowly southeastwards (but will stop and temporarily edge back again), before clearing to often clear skies and frosty nights (in valleys). Until it clears, even away from the front, fog will be extensive, albeit some mountains will protrude above the fog into daytime bright sunshine.