The Northwest Highlands
Areas north from Knoydart in the west, and the Great Glen towards the east (NB. Does not include Mull and areas west of Loch Linnhe, these are found in the West Highlands forecast.)
Friday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, 10 to 15C on tops, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 1st May 2026
Last updated
Thu 30th Apr 26 at
3:09PM
Summary for all mountain areas
As pressure falls slowly, so extensive high level cloud and bursts of rain (perhaps thundery in places later in day) will spread east - although the precise locations of the showery rain remains uncertain. Patches of low cloud, mainly near Irish Sea coasts will accompany the rain.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
A few bursts of rain; fairly light wind.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, 15 to 20mph, perhaps 25mph coastal summits.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, risk a heavier burst
Most, possibly all areas dry, but risk of one or two bursts of showery rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any - may begin to form Skye before dusk
The mountains substantially or completely clear of cloud, but in evening, patches will form from west across Skye - perhaps forming on lowest slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Extensively cloudy but bright as weak sun intermittently comes through high cloud layers. Visibility very good, slight haze develops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C Skye and increasingly westernmost mainland mountains. Elsewhere rising toward a very warm 14C by afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 2nd May 2026
Last updated
Thu 30th Apr 26 at
3:09PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Low confidence in forecast: Direction varied; widely 10mph or less. Possibly later northerly 20mph near coast.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small
How Wet?
Rain on and off, risk heavy bursts
Rain intermittently or perhaps extensively, mostly fairly light, but particularly near Great Glen risk heavy thundery bursts by afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Very extensive; forming some lower slopes, may well not clear all day.
Particularly toward the coast, cloud may for periods form below 300m. Even well inland, fragments may well form upward from forest canopies, although here most cloud above 600m, and perhaps some breaks to 900m
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little if any sunshine. The air very clear, but visibility often poor due to rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Between 0 to 2C near north coast, 3 or 4C west coast and 6C well inland.
Freezing Level
Above most summits, perhaps as low as 900m Ben Hope (far north).
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 3rd May 2026
Last updated
Thu 30th Apr 26 at
3:09PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Direction varied, but mainly northerly; near the coast 15mph, perhaps 25mph Cuillins. Elsewhere, widely 10mph or less.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly negligible.
How Wet?
Occasional showers/snow flurries
A few showers, not heavy, mostly or only north of about Ullapool. Expect small hail and snow flurries, by evening as low s 500m.
Cloud on the hills?
Very little if any
Fragments may shroud highest summits, particularly morning, but increasingly the cloud layer above the tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sunshine, possibly more widely close to the coast. Excellent or superb visibiity.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C far north; otherwise 2 to 4C, warmest near Great Glen.
Freezing Level
Above most or all summits, but 800 or 900m near Ben Hope. Frost some valleys at first.
Planning Outlook
Less settled from the weekend onwards. Rain will be more frequent although apart from on Saturday night and Sunday (when a band of rain will move north about as far as central Scotland - the detail presently very uncertain) total rainfall will remain fairly small. Temperature levels will drop markedly, particularly on the Scottish Highlands, where overnight and mornings higher slopes will be below freezing point on Scottish Highlands - with hail and snow flurries. Overnight frosts may extend as far south as Wales again.