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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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 and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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
Friday 27th March 2026
Last updated
Thu 26th Mar 26 at
3:10PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Wind strengthens across Scottish mountains to gale-force, significant chill factor. A dry morning central-eastern Highlands, but snow showers in the west develop widely and become heavier with hail. Early rain clears southeastward over England, cloud lifts and breaks; slower to improve southward across Wales.
Headline for West Highlands
Increasingly upland gales, squally hail and snow showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly, 30-40mph from dawn, trending towards higher speeds during morning, soonest Lochaber to Mull, widely 50mph by afternoon, sudden squally gusts 60mph around showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly arduous with significant wind chill, deteriorating to be widely difficult with powerful gusts able to knock you off your feet.
How Wet?
Snow showers become widespread, hail
Showers affecting west Lochaber after dawn, snow to 600m. Drier early morning to the south, but showers gradually spread more widely, heavier falls into afternoon, increasingly with hail, and the snowfall level lowering.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, lowest and most persistent west
Cloud comes and goes all day above 700-800m, most persistent along the west coast and as low as 600m during showers. Well-broken inland early, more frequent during afternoon showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60% early, lowering to 30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine, mostly inland and south early; rare along the west coast. Variable visibility, intermittently good, but poor or appalling during snow showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, sunny southern Munros briefly rise a degree; lowering, -2 or -3C late afternoon. Feeling like -15 to -18C in the wind as it strengthens.
Freezing Level
Lowering from overnight, 800m at dawn, falling to 600-700m through the day.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 28th March 2026
Last updated
Thu 26th Mar 26 at
3:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 40 to 55mph, strongest on Ben Nevis group in morning, sudden squalls. Gales likely strengthen again into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging mobility on higher mountains at least in morning, frequent buffeting all day. Significant-to-severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Hail and snow, fewer showers later
Showery morning, frequent precipitation coastal areas, particularly west Lochaber, hail and snow falling to some lower elevations. With time becoming fewer and less heavy showers and mostly rain below 700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting and breaking higher during day
Often covering higher slopes above 600-800m in the morning, lowest and most persistent toward coast. Base tending to rise, breaks to higher slopes for periods into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun breaking through more often as the day progresses. Visibility very poor in showers, then more often becoming very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to 0C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
600m in morning, rising to 900m afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 29th March 2026
Last updated
Thu 26th Mar 26 at
3:10PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwest at first, soon westerly, 70-80mph dawn-early morning, then near 50mph all day, sudden squally gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe conditions at first, remaining difficult over the mountains all day, mobility often challenging. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Heavy rain, snow, then showery hail
A swathe of heavy rain from before dawn, a more intense band moving through early morning, abruptly turning to snow to mid-elevations. Then showery hail, and snow falling increasingly toward 500m.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, then varied over tops
Shrouding hills widely in rain above 600-800m, lower for a time near coast, then rising and more variable, breaks to 900-1000m, but patches lowering in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun develop. Visibility changing quickly, very poor in rain, appalling in snow, intermittently very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
+1 or 2C for a time, dropping to -1C later. Wind chill feeling like -15C, nearer -20C on highest terrain.
Freezing Level
Briefly may rise just above freezing to upper slopes early morning, but soon lowering again, to 700-800m afternoon.
Planning Outlook
Changeable westerlies prevail onward into early next week, continuing gales over most high terrain. Below freezing on Scottish mountains above 700-800m into Monday with snow showers; higher freezing level further south, above the tops in Wales with mostly drizzly rain here. Milder air lifts above freezing to all tops into Tuesday with low cloud, drizzle and rain, most persistent west-northwest Scotland. Mixed conditions likely continue, but some windows of better weather mid-late in the week - temperatures vary above and just below freezing on Scottish tops. Potential for cold conditions again early April, but drier conditions possibly more common by then.