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.)
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 19th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Most mountain terrain remains frozen. Gusty southeasterly wind with significant chill factor. Some snow flurries towards southwest of Highlands with low cloud banks, clearer northward. Light snow fading Peak District and Pennines, low cloud persists here. Generally dry Wales but increasingly windy.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Strong gusty wind. Many hills clear, snow flurries later west.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeast turning southerly 25 to 35mph, speed tending to increase, in afternoon 40mph western hills, more widely up to dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery and increasingly significant wind chill over the mountains, walking becoming more challenging in afternoon in exposure.
How Wet?
Some patchy coastal precipitation later
Patchy snow affecting west coastal slopes in the afternoon, rain below 300-400m; spreading more widely over Skye later and then inland into nighttime.
Cloud on the hills?
Little expected
The hills largely cloud free. Later in the day, cloud moves in from the west to graze high terrain, spreading inland into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud, which may thicken with time. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Between -3 to -1C, local variability and only little change with added height. Feeling like -15 to -18C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen from dawn, lifting though spatially variable, 400-600m, perhaps higher to the far north and west.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Starting southwesterly 25-35mph, very soon rising Skye, 45-55mph, spreading widely with a westerly shift; likely gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking becoming challenging with significant wind chill on high terrain; maintaining stability a constant effort.
How Wet?
Often raining, afternoon breaks inland
Snow at Skye/Torridon from dawn, rain to low slopes at first. Spreading widely through morning, then a breaking trend, though often showery on Skye and Torridon, with the rain level progressively rising to high slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, brief breaks inland/north
Extensive cloud from middle slopes up Skye/Torridon, to lower slopes during rain. Also often to middle slopes along the west coast, some breaks to higher slopes during rain cessations, best chance of high breaks well inland, but these likely only brief.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy but a few bright or sunny breaks well inland and north. Visibility often poor, but excellent during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C at and before dawn, soon rising, reaching +2C. Feeling like -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m, though variable, some low frosts at dawn, but also higher thaws near west coast; rising with time to 1100m.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 21st February 2026
Last updated
Wed 18th Feb 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly, possibly 25mph early in the day, but likely strengthening to be in range 35 to 45mph, risk later over 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Scope for a relative lull at first, but walking conditions likely to become arduous again with time, risk more difficult later.
How Wet?
Often raining, becoming heavier
Rain on and off widely, most persistent western mountains around Skye and Torridon, briefly starting as sleet above 900m. Rain likely setting in widely heavier from the west with time.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Blanketing the mountains all day, from lower elevations upward near west coast and Skye. Locally higher bases inland and eastward, but rarely above 600-800m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull west, some brighter skies possibly toward east for a time. Visibility generally poor.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C rising to 3 or 4C. Where exposed to increasing wind on tops, feeling like -7 to -10C.
Freezing Level
1000m from dawn, rising above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Toward the weekend, a switch to southwesterly winds, bringing milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales with substantial thawing, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall and refreezing on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels onward into early next week. Often windy with periods of upland gales. Some spells of heavy rain over all western hills and low cloud frequently covering the hills.