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.
Sunday'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.
Heavy rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very wet underfoot.
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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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.
Heavy rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very wet underfoot.
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
Sunday 27th September 2026
Last updated
Sat 26th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Southerly winds up to gale-force on high terrain, including a swathe of particularly powerful winds and gusts moving across England & Wales during the day. Rain generally sets in from the west with some heavy falls, a band of more intense rain for a time. Cloud increasingly covering many hills.
Headline for West Highlands
Upland gales, rain sets in heavy, cloud lowers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40-50mph, powerful gusts to 60mph for a time. Will lessen later, shift southwesterly, 25-35mph, a relative lull then speeds rising a little toward dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions well into the day with significant wind chill. Effects will lessen later but remaining blustery.
How Wet?
Rain becomes persistent and heavy
Patchy rain in the morning becoming persistent from the southwest and setting in heavier for several afternoon hours, a swathe of torrential rain moving in from the west. Breaking up somewhat only later to showers into evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks on high terrain, more extensive afternoon
Cloud often covering high tops, some varied breaks but also broader banks lowering towards 900-1000m. A band of low cloud sweeps in from the west, bases as low as 400-500m west coast briefly, tending to break up again.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%, to 20% for several hours
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun, very good visibility at first, trending cloudier with a poor visibility in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, later lowering to 5C. Feeling below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 28th September 2026
Last updated
Sat 26th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 20 to 30mph, strongest from Ben Nevis group to Mull, tending to lessen in afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, starting to affect comfortable walking on some exposed high tops and ridges; feeling rather cool.
How Wet?
Showers mostly northwest
Showery rain mostly areas near Mull, west of Loch Linnhe and occasional showers push further into Lochaber, but brief and all tending to fade in the afternoon. More often dry southward toward Loch Lomond.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly west in morning, improving
Banks of cloud most common in the morning toward and west of Loch Linnhe above 800-900m, tending to lift higher up and increasingly break to leave the mountains often free of cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% toward Mull, 70% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy coastal hills in morning, slight haze toward Mull, some sun in afternoon. Inland a patchwork of sun and cloud, visibility mostly very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C rising 7C. Feeling like -2 to -5C in the wind on higher areas in the morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Local pockets of slight frost at dawn inland sheltered glens and some corries.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 29th September 2026
Last updated
Sat 26th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 40 to 55mph, turbulent gusts downslope to northwest; speeds tend to rise during day, over 60mph in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions on exposed terrain, but sudden buffeting also to some lower elevations.
How Wet?
Risk of rain developing
Spots of rain as high cloud thickens, then pulses of steadier from likely spread in from the south during the day - timing uncertain, may become persistent rain and drizzle around Loch Lomond NP.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive
Banks of cloud forming soonest over southern hills, may quickly blanket many slopes, tending to filter northwards with time to cover many upper slopes, best of breaks toward and west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Any early weak sun giving way to overcast skies. Good visibility then hazier, reducing if rain occurs.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 to 7C, rising to 10C, increasingly humid; may rise slightly more by evening onward.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A changeable prospect during the week ahead. A better day on Monday as higher pressure expands in from the south, but showers and brisk winds continue toward northwest Scotland. Strong southeasterly winds by Tuesday, widely gales on mountains with turbulent downslope gusts toward the west; a risk of rain developing from the south during the day, becoming heavy later. Blustery south-southwesterlies into Wednesday and Thursday, showery in the west. Higher pressure tends to expand further north again into early October. Mostly mild temperatures.