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.
Tuesday'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.
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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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.
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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.
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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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
Tuesday 10th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy rain and lowest cloud over southwest-facing hill groups. Cloud fairly extensive on hills, but higher bases and some breaks northeastwards. Gale-force winds on high terrain, speeds strengthening during day, later becoming widely severe upland gales; heavier rain arrives from west by evening.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy, gales on tops. Lowest cloud coastal hills, a little rain.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southwesterly; increasing markedly with height to a gusty 40mph or by late afternoon 50mph. After dark, 70-80mph, or stronger gusts higher Ben Nevis range.
Effect of the wind on you?
Markedly increasing buffeting and wind chill with height. Balance and general mobility increasingly difficult on higher slopes. Deteriorating further after dark to become severe.
How Wet?
Rain now and again; wetter toward evening
Rain and drizzle on and off, total rainfall fairly small - very little reaching central highlands. Sleet above 800m. By dusk, persistent rain spreads in quickly from the west, widely heavy for a few hours into the evening. Into night, turning showery with hail, snow on tops.
Cloud on the hills?
Persistent; lowest cloud base toward coast and Loch Lomond NP
Generally persistent cloud above 450 to 600m, but near the coast and southern Loch Lomond NP, sometimes below 300m. Highest cloud base will be toward and north of Lochs Rannoch and Treig and Glen Spean, where typically 750-900m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Less than 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mainly or only lower slopes north and east of Rannoch Moor. Hazy, particularly near the coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C - little temperature drop above 900m. Rising slightly after dark, then lowering overnight to -1C. Feeling like -10C during day directly in the wind; nearer -15C by evening.
Freezing Level
1000 to 1200m, rising higher up during day, particularly by evening. Then dropping into the night ahead toward 800m.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 11th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly up to 60mph post dawn; dropping to 35-45mph middle of day, strongest Lochaber. Increasing again evening-night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect significant wind chill and walking - sometimes any mobility - to be difficult across the hills, particularly near precipitation.
How Wet?
Frequent hail and snow
Particularly morning, succession of sudden hail and above 600m snow showers. Sometimes whiteout will occur. Onward into evening, more prolonged rain, snow becoming confined higher up.
Cloud on the hills?
Persistently covering higher areas; rapid variation in cloud base.
In precipitation, cloud forming below 300 to 500m (generally lowest morning near the coast). Otherwise, by midday (as average cloud base tends to rise) between 600 and 1000m, highest well inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, mainly afternoon lower slopes well inland. Very varied visibility: general haze, but abruptly appalling in precipitation.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C. Will feel like -15C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
750m
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 12th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 9th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 50 to 70mph, tending to decrease a little during afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions, mobility challenging over exposed terrain from mid-elevations upward. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Early rain, then showery snow and hail
Heavy rain to upper slopes from before dawn finishing as snow as low as 700m. Then a succession of showers, of snow above 600m, frequent Lochaber to Mull, often heavy, hail, risk thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher slopes
Covering most higher terrain terrain all day, though cloud base varying in and out of heavier precipitation, some banks of cloud to below 600m, brief breaks above 1000m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun mostly well inland into afternoon where visibility very good when dry, but at times very poor in snow and cloud; general haze near coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C or above at first, then -1C, later -2C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -18C.
Freezing Level
1000m or above up to dawn, soon lowering to 800m, later in day nearer 600m.
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled this week and through the upcoming weekend as low pressure systems pass near and north of Britain - strong west or southwesterly winds prevail, often gale-force to at times storm-force over the mountains. Some fluctuation of temperature and freezing level, but mostly below freezing over Scottish mountains, at times snow falling to lower elevations. Colder for all by the end of the week with widely lowering freezing level Thursday into Friday. Frequent precipitation most western mountains, accumulations of snow across the mountains, most substantial in western Scotland from Glencoe northwards. Quieter weather patterns indicated beyond mid-month as higher pressure builds.