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.
Friday'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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather 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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather 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
Friday 18th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Already windy with light showery rain over western hills early in the day, but conditions will worsen from the west as gales strengthen and rain / drizzle becomes persistent, some heavier rain; cloud bases lower to widely blanket hills, lowest in west.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy, strengthening gales; showery rain then constant rain.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West turning south-southwesterly 35-45mph, briefly less in morning, then increasing rapidly into early afternoon to 50-60mph, soonest southwest coastal areas; stronger gusts developing, in places 70mph higher mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous conditions in exposure, deteriorating to become more widely difficult with considerable wind chill; powerful gusts giving buffeting toward some lower slopes.
How Wet?
Early showers, rain sets in afternoon, some heavy falls
Showers drifting from the west through morning, tending to ease briefly, then more persistent rain arrives from the west into afternoon, for several hours of rain with heavier falls. A legacy of patchy rain and drizzle into evening-night. Increasingly wet underfoot, streams rising.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops, filling in afternoon
Most cloud towards west coast in morning, above 700m, and tending to lift with breaks above 1100m inland at times. Through afternoon, cloud fills in, widely above 900m and lowest south and west, locally towards 400-500m. May break up somewhat toward dusk, but shrouding most hills, lowest in west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%, lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Any early weak sun giving way as high cloud thickens to be overcast, dull. Generally hazy, and deteriorating to poor in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C afternoon, reaching 9C toward evening, then slight drop into night. Feeling often near to -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 19th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40 to 50mph, at times 60mph around higher summits, powerful squally gusts around showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions, balance frequently challenged on high exposed terrain. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent rain
Showery all day, rain rarely fully ceasing for long, a mix of drizzle and some heavier bursts. Some drier windows more often further inland.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas
Often covering mountains above 700-900m, some lower patches near coast and islands. Brief breaks higher up inland and base lifting a little during daytime.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun, more often inland. Hazy, particularly coasts, widely poor visibility in rain, better at times inland, good where dry.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, trending slightly cooler later in the daytime. Feeling like -5 to -8C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Into the night, may drop close to freezing on highest tops in Ben Nevis group.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 20th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 50mph early morning, tending to lessen gradually to 30-40mph through middle of day, 25mph later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions, significant wind chill, improving gradually but still blustery, affecting balance on exposed tops.
How Wet?
Rain on and off mostly morning
Light showery rain most common near coast particularly near/west of Loch Linnhe in the morning, odd showers move inland. Tending to fade to become more often dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting higher with some breaks
Banks of cloud above 700-900m in the morning, most common on hills toward west of Lochaber to Mull. Tending to rise and break higher with time, but some patches likely come and go above 1000m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy, some sun breaking through; thin high cloud may move in later. Some coastal haze, otherwise visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C, little change all day, then tending to rise onward into night. Feeling like -3 to -7C directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Close to freezing on Ben Nevis summit in the morning, later rising well above tops.
Planning Outlook
Gale-force southwesterly winds continue extensively on the mountains into Saturday and early Sunday. Frequent rain over western hills, showers passing eastwards, tending to fade during Sunday as higher pressure begins to build from the south, allowing wind speeds to lessen too over England & Wales. Warmer into early next week, though higher humidity brings more cloud some drizzly rain to the west. A generally more promising forecast for late September as high pressure nearby offers drier and warmer weather for more places. Weather systems grazing past Scotland to the north still bring locally stronger winds and occasional rain mainly to the northwest.