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.
Saturday's Forecast
Sunshine and showers
A mixed weather day, with rain on and off, briefly heavy, but mixed with periods of sunshine.
Mild
Air temperature above freezing to highest summits. May feel pleasantly warm on lower ground, but take appropriate layers. Feeling chilly if exposed to wind.
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Sunshine and showers
A mixed weather day, with rain on and off, briefly heavy, but mixed with periods of sunshine.
Mild
Air temperature above freezing to highest summits. May feel pleasantly warm on lower ground, but take appropriate layers. Feeling chilly if exposed to wind.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 4th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A broad and very slack area of low pressure will edge north bringing extensive low cloud and areas of drizzle, with again bursts of heavy, perhaps locally thundery rain, developing into Scotland. Best breaks in cloud and sun in the northwest Highlands, and clearer, brighter conditions developing for southern Wales.
Headline for West Highlands
Drizzle and low cloud, best breaks in northwest. Heavy showers may develop.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Risk occasionally gusty easterly 20-25mph early in the day, otherwise often variable and low speeds 10-15mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but risk of suddenly gusty locations on some slopes early in the day.
How Wet?
Drizzle/local rain, risk heavy showers forming.
Drizzly in hill fog, plus bursts of rain forming here and there, especially toward south. Mainly inland into afternoon, greater risk of heavy and possibly thundery bursts developing.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive low cloud, breaks north
Blanket fog from mid or some lower slopes upward Loch Lomond NP and southern sea lochs. Covering many tops, but higher and more broken cloud bases northwest into Lochaber, best toward Knoydart.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, to locally 50% northwest
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little weak sun, mainly coast near Mull. General haze, murkier toward south.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, but locally 10C west of Loch Linnhe.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 5th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Under a very slack cyclonic pattern, winds will vary markedly 5-10mph, at times calm. In and around showers, risk 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small to negligible often through the day. Risk of sudden gusts within the vicinity of any heavy showers.
How Wet?
Drizzle, developing to heavy showers.
Pockets of drizzle from dawn here and there. Within an unstable environment, will develop into heavy showers; risk of thunderstorms. Coasts then mostly dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, local breaks as bases slowly rise.
Within a humid environment, expect extensive hill fog through the day. Lowest bases in morning, before slow rise as convection builds, with local breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare sunny glimpses, but may become occasional for coasts into afternoon. Hazy, and for periods in the morning murky. Best visibility coasts afternoon.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C, warmest inland towards and into afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 6th May 2024
Last updated
Fri 3rd May 24 at
4:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Winds remaining slack and variable 5-10mph, but northerly down west coast 15mph. Risk local gusts 25mph inland.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small, but scope for local sudden gusts of wind inland in and around any heavy, perhaps thundery, showers.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, then heavy showers forming.
Patches of rain here and there in morning, but some areas dry. Will break up into scattered heavy showers inland and perhaps local thunderstorms in afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, best breaks coast afternoon.
Extensive banks of low cloud, shrouding hills from lower slopes up in morning. Slow rise in bases, with the best breaks developing for coastal hills afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast with rare glimpses of sun. May become sunnier coasts afternoon. Hazy, with rather murky conditions, may improve to become good away from rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 to 8C
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Slow-moving weather patterns continue through the Bank Holiday weekend as a weak zone of low pressure dominates over the British Isles. There will remain uncertainty of local day-to-day detail, but most likely the wind often light and temperatures generally mild, but less warm than midweek in western Scotland. Sunday into Monday, will see varied zones of heavy showers forming, local thunderstorms, but some places escaping often dry with the best sunny breaks for coastal areas as the convection builds inland. High pressure then tends to build from the west into midweek to bring a fair amount of dry weather, although rain bearing fronts may return to the northwest at times.