West Highlands Forecast
Western Highlands accessible from, and south of, Glenfinnan (Road to the Isles) and Glen Spean (includes Creag Meagaidh). This area include Ben Nevis and the mountains around Glencoe. In the east, includes Ben Alder south to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP. Includes Arran and Mull.
Viewing Weather Forecast for Saturday 16th February 2019
Forecast last updated on Friday 15th February 2019 at 2:53pm
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Click here to view low graphics format of the forecast.Summary for all mountain areas
Drizzly rain across the W/NW Highlands in the morning will fizzle out, and cloud bases will tend to lift. Best breaks toward the Cairngorms. For England & Wales, low cloud mostly focused around Irish Sea coasts, but extensive in south Wales. Blustery winds, gales widely into evening.
Headline for West Highlands
Rain or drizzle fading during morning. Wind strengthening later.
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southwesterly, 20 to 30mph, at times 35mph. May locally reach 40mph near west coast (inc Arran) by later afternoon. Widely reaching gale force on hills after sunset and overnight.
Effect of wind on you?
Fairly blustery on higher areas, with local gusty conditions around passes and cols. Noticeable wind chill in exposure on tops.
How Wet? (Precipitation and its impact)
Early rain fading to drizzle, drier afternoon
Persistent rain from before dawn continuing into the early morning, mostly light. May give sleet or wet snow above 1000-1100m. Fading from the south during morning to leave just patches of drizzle by middle of day, then substantially dry for much of the afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive morning; bases lifting, some breaks afternoon
Cloud is likely to shroud the hills throughout the day; lowest bases through the morning above about 400-600m, before lifting toward 700-900m, with some higher breaks forming. However, across hills near and north of Glen Spean, cloud often above 900m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 40% afternoon.
Sunshine?
Air clarity (below cloud)
Rare glimpses of sunshine, mainly well inland. Visibility poor due to drizzly rain at first, improving, but a slight haze persists.
How Cold? (at 900m)
3C. Where exposed to strongest wind, feeling closer to -8C.
Freezing Level
1200 to 1400m.
Planning Outlook
All mountain areas of Britain from Sunday 17th February 2019
South to southwesterly winds continue through the weekend into next week, eventually becoming southeasterly. For 36-48 hours Monday-Tuesday, freezing levels will drop to 900m or briefly lower, with showers of snow or hail on the mountains, focused western Scotland. By midweek, temperatures will lift again, as high pressure rebuilds to the east of Britain. Dry conditions likely to prevail for several days. A thaw will resume, leaving very little snow in general on the mountains. Some low cloud, with inversion conditions some days. Often windy, gale force at times, and locally very gusty.
