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.
Thursday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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
Thursday 6th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Blustery with showers into Scotland and northern England in the morning; wind and rain easing, sun breaking out with time, mild high temperatures. Risk more frequent showers and strong wind in the Peak District through morning, improving afternoon. Rare early showers in Wales, cloud clearing most hills.
Headline for West Highlands
Few early showers; clouds lifts, breaks forming
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 25-30mph early, soon easing and shifting westerly 10-20mph well into the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but feeling rather chilly in exposure to breeze on higher terrain early in the day.
How Wet?
Brief showers but most hills dry; rain returns late
Well scattered light showers, often dry, showers most likely to come and go near the coast and islands during the day. Later, patchy rain returns from the west, increasingly frequent into and overnight.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting with breaks to tops
Most cloud soon above 700-800m in the morning, lifting higher. Patches likely to come and go above 1000-1100m, best breaks above summits inland towards Bridge of Orchy. Tending to lower over coastal tops later in day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C afternoon (a degree cooler Lochaber coast); staying elevated into night. Feeling below freezing if exposed to the wind on tops.
Freezing Level
Only just above freezing point on Ben Nevis summit early in the day.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 7th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, strongest north. Strengthening, top speeds to 50mph Mull and Lochaber, nearer 25-30mph Arran.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery from dawn, deteriorating to challenging walking with significant wind chill over northern Munros.
How Wet?
Most rain early
Frequent or persistent rain in the morning, heavier bursts forming that will drift inland. An easing tendency, but always a risk of drizzly patches, perhaps more often raining until late Mull and north.
Cloud on the hills?
Shrouding high terrain
Extensive at dawn, to lower slopes Mull and north, ragged patches to forest canopies. A lifting trend, breaks approaching 900-1000m Ben Lomond to Rannoch Moor, some chance of more improvement; further west and north, only small improvement.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, a little weak sun may break through, best chance south. Visibility poor along coastal hills, improving below cloud well-inland.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising a degree, or locally 9C south and east Munros. Feeling like 0 to -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 8th August 2026
Last updated
Wed 5th Aug 26 at
3:58PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40-55mph, strongest speeds north where stronger gusts over tops are likely. May lessen later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions in exposure with significant wind chill; strongest gusts can knock you over.
How Wet?
Incessant rain sets in, often heavy
Showery rain from the southwest sets in through the morning, constant heavy falls forming over most mountains well into the day; becoming very wet underfoot.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Varied cloud in the early hours with coming and going of rain, any breaks above 1000m unlikely, cloud soon filling in extensively to middle slopes with ragged patches increasingly forming from forest canopies upward.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Soon overcast and dull with very poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, mildest south and very humid. Feeling like -5C in direct wind (or colder northern summits).
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Westerly winds prevail into the weekend and further weather fronts will come in off the Atlantic, bringing rain and low cloud to most mountains. Saturday into Sunday in particular will see extensive cloud and heavy rain across Scotland with strong wind, bands of rain passing to the south and east into England and Wales. A ridge of high pressure returns early next week for warmer temperatures and clearer hills, though western Scotland likely remains fairly cloudy with some drizzle on the high tops. Following this high pressure, west-southwesterly flow returns and a series of low pressure systems will pass west-to-east across the British Isles with periods of strong wind (sometimes gale-force), rain, and low cloud, western hill groups aways most affected. Unsettled conditions likely persist into next weekend.