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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 9th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Rain passes east through Scotland from dawn, followed by colder air and heavy showers with snow on high terrain. The rain passes northwest parts of England and Wales through morning, reaching the Pennines and south Wales midday, clearing east for afternoon showers. Blustery, strong gusts around showers.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Frequent heavy snow showers with hail; blustery, strong gusts
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, shifting west later and strengthening for a few hours, approaching 40mph high tops. Often gusty during showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking inconvenienced in exposure all day, strong buffeting gusts in showers will challenge balance for periods and bring significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Morning rain followed by heavy snow showers
Rain passes east across all areas through early morning, locally heavy, soon followed by frequent heavy showers, falling as snow to 500-600m, some hail too. Showers ease slightly afternoon, notably north, but late in the day, rain and snow sets in again from the west.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive early, gradually improving, summit breaks afternoon
Extensive from dawn to middle slopes, but soon beginning to break as rain turns to showers. Bases mostly above 700-800m, breaks between showers, increasingly broken afternoon for clear summits. West coastal hills most often covered, locally to 600m in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy early, bursts of bright sunshine increasingly breaking out between showers, the most sun likely in the middle/later afternoon. Very good visibility, but suddenly very poor in rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 0C most of the day, but trending towards -1C west, occasionally milder east, +1C here in the morning. Feeling like -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Lowering from overnight, 900-1100m at dawn, gradually lowering further, to around 700m.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 10th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15-25mph early, shifting southerly, strengthening to 45-60mph by evening, strongest Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly difficult with severe wind chill; you may struggle to stay on your feet in exposure near the west coast.
How Wet?
Local spots of rain/snow, often dry
Spotty patchy precipitation drifts from the south, mostly coastal slopes, snow to 300m or lower, but this level rising. Most hills dry well into the day. Rising risk of rain/snow onto Skye afternoon into evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high Cuillin, often clear inland; deteriorating
The Cuillin often shrouded above 700-800m, odd higher breaks possible in the morning; inland mountains often clear of cloud. Cloud becomes more persistent on the Cuillin with time, bases lowering to middle slopes, with cloud grazing most tops (at least) by dusk.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% Cuillin, 70% inland, all lowering later
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun through high cloud, brighter inland and north. Trending cloudier afternoon west. Good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2 or -3C, rising to 0C, may rise further for a few overnight hours. Later, feeling as cold as -15C in wind.
Freezing Level
400-600m, lowest well-inland, also some light frosts in inland glens. Gradually lifting to 800m.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 11th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 8th Apr 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 30-40mph, quite variable, at times lighter winds east and north. Stronger speeds early and late, 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking with significant wind chill all day. Balance and stability more substantially challenged early and late.
How Wet?
Frequent snow/hail showers
A near-constant stream of showers through morning Skye and nearby, snow to at least 500m, locally lower, hail too. Showers trending northward afternoon, may ease or totally cease for a few hours later in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly early, improving to many clear tops
Central and southern Munros often shrouded from at least 800m and up at dawn, Skye most often in cloud, bases approaching 600m in precipitation with few breaks. Bases rising and cloud breaking with time, likely clearing most hills in the afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine increasingly common, perhaps more extensive later. Very good visibility but suddenly very poor in rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or +1C. May rise to 2C in the north. Feeling like -15C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Around 900m though locally variable, and tending to rise.
Planning Outlook
An unsettled weekend with rain, showers, and wind temperatures, though a few bright spells will break out. Variable weather regimes next week: Atlantic west-southwesterly winds likely dominant, with low pressure to the northwest of the country, brining cloud, rain, and mild temperatures, often followed by sun, showers, and cooler temperatures; rain will be increasingly common to the high Munros, but the snowfall level will lower too during periods of cooler weather, and perhaps to high Lakeland fells, though any snow unlikely to accumulate here. In the longer term, indications of high pressure increasingly building, brining drier and brighter conditions with mild days to England and Wales and occasionally Scotland too, though the risk remains of occasional rain and cooler temperatures.