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.
Today's Forecast
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very 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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
Heavy rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very 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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 9th December 2025
Last updated
Mon 8th Dec 25 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Severe conditions becoming widespread and lasting onward into the night and Wednesday - stormy conditions, hurricane-force winds on higher mountains. Heavy rain sweeping northwards across Scotland during the day, breaking up into showers for England & Wales; flooding likely.
Headline for West Highlands
Heavy rain and increasingly stormy winds.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly rapidly strengthening from before dawn to 50-60mph, local gusts 70mph, turning southerly by midday. Strengthening further during afternoon to reach 80mph, up to SW'ly 100mph by evening into night higher Ben Nevis group.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mobility difficult on exposed terrain all day, powerful gusts could knock you over on downslopes N/W of major hill groups. By later daytime and after dark, increasingly severe conditions low-levels upward, damaging gusts.
How Wet?
Near-constant heavy rain, local flooding
Rain from the south pre-dawn, spreading widely and setting in persistently and heavy, most intense southern areas. A breaking trend afternoon though showery rain will linger, into evening frequent or setting in again; into night turning to snow above 1000-1100m. Beware fast-rising streams and local flooding.
Cloud on the hills?
Soon extensive
Widely shrouding the coastal slopes from lower slopes upward and locally down to coastal cliffs in the south. Highest bases from Ben Nevis group towards Knoydart early morning, but soon extensive to 600-700m. Odd breaks southwest later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Less than 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull. Poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C pre-dawn, soon rising to around 8C, then sharply cooling from the south later, to 2C evening into night. Feeling like -10C in strongest daytime wind; colder into the night.
Freezing Level
Above the summits until after dark, then lowering to around 1200m into night.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 10th December 2025
Last updated
Mon 8th Dec 25 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 50 to 70mph, often 80mph higher terrain Ben Nevis group, gusts on tops here may exceed 100mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult walking conditions from mid elevations upward, severe over the mountains; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Showery with snow tops, hail
Frequent showery precipitation, merging to be near-constant at times, falling as snow above 1000m, also hail mostly morning.
Cloud on the hills?
Often covering high tops
Cloud base constantly changing, but often shrouding higher slopes, at times down to 600m coasts, brief breaks to tops inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun mainly well inland. Hazy, visibility poorer in rain, very poor if in snow on highest tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C. Wind chill feeling near to -15C.
Freezing Level
1100 to 1200m
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 11th December 2025
Last updated
Mon 8th Dec 25 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 40 to 60mph, some uncertainty of peak speed, risk 70mph+ high tops and coastal mountains.
Effect of the wind on you?
Widely arduous, but risk of more difficult or severe conditions ongoing, particularly toward coasts.
How Wet?
A little rain in the wind
Occasional pulses of rain may run onto coastal areas in the west. Spots of rain in the wind elsewhere, some slopes often damp, but small amounts of rain in total.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent south/western areas
Covering many hills all day, to some mid-slopes near coasts, but mostly above 900m inland, breaks higher up north and east of Rannoch Moor and Ben Nevis.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mostly near Glen Spean. Hazy, visibility reduced if rain occurs.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C, may start to drop into evening. Feeling near -10C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, may then drop onto Ben Nevis top into night (1300m+).
Planning Outlook
A very unsettled pattern as southwesterly winds prevail and low pressure systems move in from the Atlantic, sustained gales over the mountains, severe or stormy for periods. Temperatures only close to freezing on higher Scottish tops this week, even here will experience spells above freezing with thawing, leaving snow increasingly patchy, but beware some icy surfaces on the very highest tops where some refreezing occurs. Drier for most places on Thursday this week, otherwise rainfall will be frequent and heavy, sometimes showery with hail. Expect wet ground conditions and further flooding of streams and some rivers.