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 25th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy early, gale-force gusts in Scotland with significant wind chill. Morning rain in Scotland slips south into north England by midday, patchy sun breaks out in Scotland. Morning sun in Wales, rain reaching here through afternoon from north. Most rain on western hill groups where cloud will become extensive.
Headline for West Highlands
Morning rain and gales; both easing, inland sun breaks afternoon
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 40 to 50mph from dawn into early morning, strongest gusts over high tops approaching 55-60mph. Lessening to 25-35mph middle of day, shifting northwesterly, 15-25mph later, strongest Arran.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking and marked chill at first, strongest gusts knocking you off balance. Gradually improving during day, but likely to remain blustery in south.
How Wet?
Early rain, drizzly showers, fading
Persistent rain from overnight into morning, heavy at times, tending to ease and break up into drizzly showers by middle of day (easing soonest in Lochaber), fading out afternoon. Slowest to clear Arran. A risk of some patchy rain returning from west late in the day, steadier falls overnight.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, rising, breaks inland
Shrouding hills fairly widely from low elevations upward early morning. Base tending to rise, but likely to persist over western hills above 700m, mostly 900m and above well-inland, best chance of summit breaks near and north of Loch Lomond. Cloud returns more extensively evening into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 50% well-inland afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, poor visibility in morning rain. Staying misty over many western hills, better visibility develops where dry below cloud inland with good afternoon sunny breaks.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C, mildest inland where may locally reach 11 or 12C afternoon where sunny. Feeling as cold as -5C directly in the wind early, nearer 0C middle of day.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 26th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-northwesterly 20-30mph, strongest south and quite gusty at first, approaching 40mph over high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking and notable wind chill over high tops, particularly near the coast around and south of Loch Linnhe.
How Wet?
Often raining, drizzly
Rain drifting from the west much of the day, clusters push inland, then showery outbreaks more widespread afternoon. A lingering drizzle on tops between showers. An easing tendency but staying damp.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Fairly extensive along the coast much of the day, more widely early with bases to 500-700m. A rising trend in bases, a few breaks here and there to high terrain possible, but returning below 800m during showers, often lower westward.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few glimpses of sun. Varied visibility, often poor on high terrain, but very good out of cloud/rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C rising up to 11C well-inland. Only slight rise with proximity to the coast. Feeling at or below freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 27th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly, soon southwesterly, 15-25mph, strengthening to 25-35mph, strongest south, approaching 45mph far south.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small at first, but walking becoming strenuous, to arduous south with balance challenges and wind chill.
How Wet?
Heavy rain sets in
Patchy rain and some drizzle over the tops through the morning, rain setting in more widely through afternoon with increasingly persistent and heavy falls on hills towards coasts.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
The hills likely in cloud from 700-800m up in the morning, higher bases inland, bases lowering through morning as rain sets in, widely below 600m afternoon with bases to lower slopes/glens towards the west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Early patchy sun becomes shrouded by cloud, dull through afternoon with poor visibility in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10 or 11C, warmest south; staying lifted into night, may rise further south. Feeling below freezing in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
West-northwesterly winds prevail this weekend and early next week, transitioning to southwesterly through mid-to-late week, bringing spells of rain, drizzle and some showery falls; low cloud persistent across hills, particularly in the west. Lower wind speeds for Scotland on Sunday, staying quite breezy England and Wales. Rather cool this weekend and Monday, single-figures Celsius on high terrain. More prolonged heavier rain possible for western Scotland Monday-Tuesday. More humid and warm into mid and late week, especially England & Wales which could become hot later in the week. More uncertainty later in the week as a slow-moving area of low pressure is nearby, but risk areas of heavy rain and showers into next weekend as well.