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.)
Sunday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
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.
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.
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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 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.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 21st December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A blustery, gusty morning in northern England and Scotland, gales for a time in northwest Scotland, tending to ease. Patchy rain from central Scotland down the spine of the Pennines eases into drizzle over the high tops, drizzle in east Wales too with extensive hill fog in these areas. Best of breaks west Wales and NW Highlands.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Windy, risk gales early, easing; patchy rain Skye/east, clearer west
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35-40mph from dawn; strong gusts over tops and downslope, may reach 50mph. Easing as the day goes, 20-30mph by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, turbulent airflow with sudden strong gusts running downslope and reversals in direction; expect considerable buffeting and stability challenges. Conditions slowly improve somewhat.
How Wet?
Patchy rain Skye and northeast, dry elsewhere
Patchy rain arrives on and around Skye, falling as snow above 900-1000m, the snow line tending to rise. Some showery ray may feed in to Easter Ross and Caithness as well. Most other mountains dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly over tops of Skye and eastern hills
Cloud often capping the tops from Ben Wyvis to Ben Hope, at times lowering where rain occurs. Patchy cloud drifting onto Skye as well, mostly 900m or above. Many northwest coast hills/summits will be largely clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, 60% northwest coast
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, best to the northwest but weakened by high cloud. Mostly good visibility, but locally deteriorating where in rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or +1C from dawn, gradually rising to 2C, locally 3C Skye and nearby. Feeling closer to -10C in the wind.
Freezing Level
900-1000m from dawn, local frosts on sheltered slopes at lower elevations. Lifting to the high tops by dusk, further lifting overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 22nd December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 30 to 40mph; gusty over the tops and downslope, strongest may reach 50mph in the north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous conditions for several hours, sudden strong gusts will challenge balance. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Morning rain, then drizzle east
Widespread rain and drizzle arrives for a time in the morning before clearing to the northwest. Drier afternoon but staying drizzly on high tops from Ben Wyvis to Ben Hope, some patches further west.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, but breaks west coast
Fairly extensive banks at varying heights, lowest in the rain and eastern slopes. As rain clears, very disorganised cloud banks, ragged patches clinging to forest canopies for a time; clearest hills northwest coast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 40% toward west coast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mainly overcast. Early rain and an increasing haze will limit visibility through the day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3 or 4C, warmest in the northwest. Feeling closer to -10C where exposed to the strongest winds.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Last updated
Sat 20th Dec 25 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 15-25mph, may shift northerly afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, though some uncomfortable gusty wind in exposure.
How Wet?
Rain on and off
Periods of patchy rain for most mountains, likely more frequent on hills nearest the west coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly tops, lower bases in rain
Cloud often capping tops, some higher breaks, best inland north areas. During rain, bases lower to 800-900m, lower Skye and nearby mountains; some lower banks too including patchy fog in the glens.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some glimpses of weak sun possible inland and north. Good visibility but variable as rain comes and goes, some haze east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
2 or 3C
Freezing Level
Above the summits, lowering to 1100m afternoon.
Planning Outlook
Cloud and patchy rain lingers for a few more days early next week, then a slow change to drier and chiller weather into the Christmas period as high pressure builds to the north. Easterly winds will be dominant, the strongest winds in England and Wales. Cloud may be fairly sheet-like in the east sometimes, though variably more extensive or broken. The coldest air will reach England and Wales on the easterly wind with freezing levels reaching as low as 400-600m in Wales, staying slightly warmer in northern Scotland with freezing levels nearer the high summits for a time under the core of high pressure.