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The Northwest Highlands

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Viewing forecast for Saturday, 5th January, 2013

Forecast last reviewed on Tuesday, 21/05/13 at 21:42


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Headline, The Northwest Highlands

Upland gales easing. Extensive low cloud west.

How Windy?

South or southwesterly, will increase markedly with height to typically 45mph; gusts up to 65mph, on higher summits, ridges & through some higher cols. Speeds will drop marginally in the afternoon.

Effect Of Wind?

Walking will continue difficult where exposed across the hills. In places ferocious gusts likely to fairly low level. Significant wind chill.

How Wet?

Pockets drizzle western hills

Substantially dry; but on western, perhaps only coastal hills south from the Torridon area, pockets of light drizzle. Widespread rain will spread inland an hour or two before dusk.

Cloud on the hills?

Very low west; breaking east

Very low cloud will shroud western hills south from the Torridon area all day; base often 300m or lower. But elsewhere, the low cloud will widely break, or perhaps substantially clear altogether.

Chance of cloud free Munros?

10% western hills south of Ullapool to 60% elsewhere

Sunshine and air clarity?

Intermittent sunshine Sutherland and east of Achnasheen and Loch Cluanie, but dull western hills south from near Torridon. Hazy, and fog to a very low level western hills, but on many higher areas, visibility excellent.

How Cold? (at 900m)

4 to locally 8C, lowest coastal hills. Will feel as cold as minus 10C directly in the wind.

Freezing level

Above the summits.

Planning Outlook for all mountain areas from Thursday, 23rd May, 2013

Cold over the coming week. There will be freeze thaw cycles on higher Scottish summits, and on higher tops further south, temperatures often only a couple of degrees above freezing point. Total precipitation will be small, but there will be snow showers (often rain or hail on summits from S Scotland southwards), and occasionally, particularly in western Scotland, fronts may edge in bringing several hours of rain and low cloud. Generally summits will often be cloud free, and the visibility excellent.

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