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.
Monday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
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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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 21st September 2026
Last updated
Sun 20th Sep 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Warm and humid air across the country brings low cloud shrouding hills extensively, foggy to some lower elevations in the west. Some rain moves east across Scotland then generally damp air with fairly persistent drizzle over western hills. Strongest winds toward northern Scotland, gusty not just on highest tops.
Headline for West Highlands
Gusty wind, strongest north; rain, drizzle, very low cloud.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 30mph to in places very gusty 40-45mph, mainly around higher mountains from Ben Nevis group to Mull, the strongest gusts not confined to highest summits.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery but variable, in places fairly small especially in south, but on some terrain affecting ease of walking and knocking you off balance, sudden buffeting gusts in some passes and downslope.
How Wet?
Drizzle and light rain
Some steady rain mainly in Lochaber around dawn fades, but leaves patchy light rain and fairly widespread drizzle over the hills, some drier moments well inland.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, very low coasts
Blanket cloud across the hills, foggy from lower elevations upward near coast and sea lochs likely all day. Some breaks may emerge at varied levels well inland Lochaber, but rarely clearing any summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Almost nil most areas, 10% well inland.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun unlikely, misty poor visibility widely, hazy even below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 12C, small change with added height and little change into night; quite humid, but still feeling near 0C if directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Last updated
Sun 20th Sep 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 40mph, very gusty for a time, but then into afternoon likely to drop below 20mph, soonest west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Varied conditions, blustery in exposure and for a time more frequent buffeting in morning, then becoming smaller.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle, then clearing
Drizzle merging into more constant steadier rain from the west in the morning, heavier falls developing for a time. Into afternoon, then rain likely to fade and slip southeastwards to leave drier conditions.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, then improving
Shrouding hills extensively in morning and when rain persists, to some lower elevations coastal areas. Bases then tending to rise from the west in afternoon with increasing breaks forming with time, toward some upper slopes afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10% rising to 50% afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, misty to lower levels near coast and generally poor in rain. Tending to improve afternoon from west to occasional sun and good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 or 10C, quite humid early in day, then dropping to 6 to 8C during afternoon. Feeling near/below 0C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Last updated
Sun 20th Sep 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 15-25mph, approaching 30mph at times towards southern islands.
Effect of the wind on you?
Often fairly small, but quite blustery over high southern tops.
How Wet?
Showers, fading
Showers drift from the west, most frequent near and north of Loch Linnhe (including inland). Showers soon well-scattered to the south, and increasingly fading widely, likely dry by evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Coming and going on high terrain, increasingly breaking
May start fairly extensive towards central highlands just at dawn, but soon lifting and breaking, to varied banks above 800m. Cloud will continue to break up, returning above 900m during showers, mostly western slopes, and increasingly breaking up into evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, rising with time towards 70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun, more widely sunny later. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, may rise a degree further Ben Lomond to Loch Lyon. Feeling like -5C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Rain affects western Scotland on Tuesday, patchier rain extending eastward. Then into Wednesday, a heavier swathe of rain moves east, more likely over England & Wales, clearing from the west leaving a few showers. South-southwesterly winds increase again on Thursday and rain may move into western Scotland, but elsewhere is likely dry. A variable outlook continues into next weekend and just beyond with high pressure building from the south at times with fairly warm and dry conditions, but some Atlantic systems still pass to the north bringing occasional rain and showers toward western Scotland at least. A trend toward drier conditions more widely around the change of month.