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.)
Wednesday'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
Wednesday 25th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread hail and snow showers, at times heavy with a risk of isolated lightning. Fewer showers in the N Pennines and southeast Scotland for a few morning hours, but returning afternoon. Gales widespread as well with sudden strong gusts, easing only slightly in Scotland. Cold, staying below freezing above 500-600m.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Frequent snow and hail showers; gales, easing somewhat
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 35 to 45mph, varying speeds with squally gusts around showers, up to 55mph. Speeds ease for several afternoon hours, as low as 25mph Skye, but always a risk of strong gusts, and staying winder to the north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking strenuous with frequent buffeting, in places more arduous over higher exposed terrain with buffeting gusts and severe wind chill. Effects will ease somewhat in the south but walking stays impeded.
How Wet?
Frequent hail and snow, at times persistent
Showery snow and hail falling to lower slopes, frequent to at times near-constant over coastal areas in the north and west, but extending across all the region. Risk of isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying, often capping tops
Cloud base constantly changing, will come and go all day above 800-900m, frequently capping high tops toward coasts, patches at times to 600m during heavier showers. Briefly clearing tops. A risk of more extensive high terrain cloud for several hours in the morning.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine. Visibility intermittently very good, but appalling for periods in showers with brief whiteout over tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -4C. Wind chill feeling like -20C or colder on high tops in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
400m from dawn, lifting to 500m, slightly higher away from showers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 26th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
NW'ly 20-30mph early, strongest far north. Easing to 10-15mph, shifting W'ly, then SW'ly, restrengthening into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded with some stability challenges in exposure early in the day, easing to fairly small.
How Wet?
Early and late precipitation, but mostly dry
Some early snow showers near and north of Ullapool, soon easing for several dry hours. Patchy snow arriving to the high tops afternoon patches drifting east into evening and turning to rain, the most rain around Skye.
Cloud on the hills?
Just high tops early, becoming extensive
Some cloud banks drifting over the high tops, mostly in the north, but summits often clear through morning. Cloud gradually fills in extensively across high terrain through afternoon, likely to middle slopes by dusk
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%, lowering to 20% through afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine early in the day, soon weakened by high cloud, increasingly overcast. Excellent visibility, deteriorating afternoon as fog lowers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4C (-5C far north), rising to -2C, sharply rising into night, several degrees above freezing. Feeling like -15C in wind early.
Freezing Level
200-400m, some lower frosts likely too. A slight rise, then sharply lifting above the summits as evening approaches.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 27th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 35-40mph, gradually strengthening, 50mph over high northern tops by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking with significant wind chill, a deteriorating trend with mobility increasingly impeded, particularly north.
How Wet?
Frequent snow showers, some hail
From dawn, frequent showers from the west, snow down to 600m, some hail too. Showers increasingly push inland, heavier falls for several afternoon hours; snowfall level lowers too.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, lowest and most persistent west
Cloud comes and goes all day above 700-800m, most persistent along the west coast and as low as 600m during showers. Well-broken inland in the morning, but increasingly frequent during afternoon showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% inland, to 30% west coast
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine, mostly inland, perhaps rare along the west coast. Variable visibility, intermittently very good, but poor or appalling during snow showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, gradually lowering, -3C into night. Feeling like -13 to -15C in the wind, cooler in the north late in the day.
Freezing Level
Lowering from overnight, 800m at dawn, lowering to 600m through the day.
Planning Outlook
Thursday starts chilly with clear skies for many, snow then rain moves into western areas with time. Strong northwesterly winds prevail as the weekend starts, brining cooler temperatures and a mix of showers and sun across most areas, the showers likely snowy to middle elevations with some hail mixed in. The cool, spring-like conditions will allow showers to become heavier and more widespread in the afternoon. Sunday into next week sees high pressure southwest of the country, producing drier weather with sun breaks, a trend towards milder temperatures too, but several low pressure systems to the north draw bands of rain eastward, mostly affecting Scotland, occasionally northern England and Wales. A risk of cooler northerly winds re-establishing later in the week, though detail is uncertain.