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.
Today'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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
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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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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
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
Monday 30th March 2026
Last updated
Sun 29th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gale-force west-northwesterlies, severe over higher Scottish mountains toward the north, squally gusts around showers of snow, also hail toward north early in the day. Light showers of rain or upland snow tending to fade with time, some breaks in cloud forming, best eastwards.
Headline for West Highlands
Gales over mountains. Snow showers, fading.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to northwesterly, 40 to 50mph, nearer 60mph with stronger gusts over higher Ben Nevis range in the morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions, difficult walking in exposure especially morning, gusts could knock you over. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow showers mostly morning
Showery snow, possible soft hail at first, frequent for a time in Lochaber. Tending to ease to lighter and more scattered showers afternoon, by then mostly rain below 600-700m. Rain and drizzle into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Often covering higher tops, rising, breaks inland
Covering higher terrain widely in morning, bases 600-900m, lowest near coast near Mull, tending to rise. Some higher breaks forming above 1000m, or increasingly higher up inland. Will then lower from southwest into night, possibly over coastal tops by dusk.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 70% well inland
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun, most common south. Visibility good out of showers, but some haze near coast, briefly poor in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to +1C afternoon, then higher after dark. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -18C.
Freezing Level
700m from dawn, rising to 1000m afternoon, then lifting above the summits into night.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 31st March 2026
Last updated
Sun 29th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly, 25 to 35mph, very gusty in places around exposed high tops and ridges.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery over high terrain, affecting comfortable walking and balance on some exposed ridges. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain
Drizzly much of the day, most persistent westwards, some steadier light rain at times. Combined with some snow melt, rock surfaces will be very slippery. Smaller amounts of occasional drizzle well inland.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest toward coast
Blanket low cloud across the mountains, from lower elevations upward near to coast and islands in the morning. Tending to rise a little during day, but likely to shroud hills all day above 600-800m, highest inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Below 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy and misty, some brighter moments may emerge mainly well inland, where visibility good if below cloud, but generally poor over the hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 to 5C. Feeling like -5 to -8C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Close to freezing only on higher Ben Nevis plateau, but generally above the tops.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 1st April 2026
Last updated
Sun 29th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35 to 50mph, stronger gusts for a time - may last much of day, but later possible switch northerly 20-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions with buffeting gusts in exposure around high tops, may lessen later. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain turns heavy, increasingly snow
Rain and drizzle most persistent Lochaber early in day, becoming more widespread, risk widely heavy for a time, turning to snow on high terrain, possibly to lowering elevations in Lochaber.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding the mountains likely all day, base may vary at 500-800m, lowest over western mountains during constant precipitation. May later rise from north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, poor visibility in rain, becoming very poor if in snow and cloud on tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C in morning, tending to drop, to 0C during day, later -2C in Lochaber. Feeling like -10C in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Above all summits for several hours at least, then dropping onto high tops, later possibly more rapidly to 600m Lochaber.
Planning Outlook
A drop of temperature is expected again across Scotland during Wednesday as a band of rain then upland snow drifts slowly southwards. Atlantic weather patterns and west-southwesterly winds likely continue into the start of the Easter period at least, a risk of further gales over the mountains. Temperature may remain variable, possibly often cold over the mountains with snow and hail showers at times to lower elevations at least in Scotland, sometimes more widely, mixed with some spells of rain - precipitation generally most frequent west and northwest. Some windows of drier and brighter conditions, but day-to-day detail is uncertain.