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.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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 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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Saturday 7th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Continuing with the east to south-easterly airflow with hills shrouded in extensive low cloud with widely murky conditions. Patchy snow across the Highlands tending to ease, best breaks again toward the northwestern coasts of Scotland. Showery rain extending north through Wales into northern England.
Headline for West Highlands
Strong, cold easterly winds. Mostly dry, hill fog, breaking toward west coast.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 25 to 35mph at first, tending to lower to 15 to 25mph and veer into south-east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking fairly arduous at first with significant wind chill and buffeting, but tending to ease down from the south.
How Wet?
Patchy precipitation petering out
A few snow flurries from dawn, rain below 500m, perhaps fairly constant Ben Alder down to Loch Lomond NP. Likely to fizzle out during afternoon. Very little if any west coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering upper terrain, clearer west coast.
Be prepared for extensive coverage across higher terrain above 800-1000m, more like 600m central Highlands. Best breaks in cloud, and chance of clear tops, hills west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%, but 60% west of Loch Linnhe.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun toward west coast in an otherwise overcast atmosphere. Hazy, best visibility west coast, poor in any rain and snow flurries.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around -1C.
Freezing Level
Poorly defined: 600 to 900m, but locally 1100m westernmost summits: generally only slow temperature drop with height.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 8th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Between southeast and south typically 15 to 25mph, although possibly below 15mph near the coast.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small
How Wet?
Little or no precipitation
Rain, or above 600 to 900m snow here and there, mostly amounting to very little.
Cloud on the hills?
Most mountains persistently covered. May clear some western hills.
Persistent fog most of region, but by afternoon perhaps breaks to 600m and here and there higher slopes briefly clearing or between cloud layers. Again on westernmost areas, cloud may sometimes or fleetingly clear, revealing higher slopes or summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%, but 50% west coast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sunshine here and there - possibly bright sun for an hour or two near coast. Widely misty or murky, possibly very good visibility westernmost hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C
Freezing Level
800 to 1050m. although terrain down to lower slopes (except close to west coast) mostly frozen.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 9th February 2026
Last updated
Fri 6th Feb 26 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-easterly 20 to 30mph, perhaps 35-40mph at times western coastal hills.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and gusty for periods, especially western coastal hills, where perhaps fairly arduous. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Very little, if any.
A few occasional spots of rain, or above 700 to 900m snowflakes, mainly central Highlands. Dry once again hills near and west of Loch Linnhe.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher terrain, clearer west coast.
Extensive cloud across higher terrain 700-900m, lowest bases to 500m central Highlands. More broken cloud near and west of Loch Linnhe, where best breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% central Highlands, 60% west coast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, but breaks in the cloud with intermittent sun toward west coast. Best visibility west coast, marked haze further inland, murky central Highlands.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to 1C
Freezing Level
800 to 1050m. although terrain down to lower slopes (except close to west coast) mostly frozen.
Planning Outlook
Overall little change in conditions over the coming week: the mountains extensively foggy, precipitation from time to time (again concentrated on eastern Scotland and southern and eastern Wales) and often strong southeast or easterly wind. However, a slight rise in temperature will result in thawing of lying snow from southern Scotland southwards and some thawing up to around 900, sometimes 1050m Scottish Highlands - although the return of low freezing level toward the middle of next week.