West Highlands
Western Highlands accessible from, and south of, Glenfinnan (Road to the Isles) and Glen Spean (includes Creag Meagaidh). This area includes Ben Nevis and the mountains around Glencoe. In the east, from Ben Alder south to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP. Also Arran and Mull.
Friday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Cloud and some sun, snow cover on tops
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes. Snow covering higher terrain.
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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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Cloud and some sun, snow cover on tops
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes. Snow covering higher terrain.
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
West Highlands
Friday 14th November 2025
Last updated
Thu 13th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold across Scotland and northern England, below freezing on Scottish mountains all day. Snow flurries toward north/east Highlands. Significant chill factor from strengthening easterly winds, gale-force all day southern Scotland and northern England. Severe gales and incessant heavy rain Wales and Peak District.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy and gusty, gales south, later widespread. Substantially dry.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly, strengthening 25 to 40mph, strongest speeds most persistent around Arran, here reaching 50mph middle of day. Toward and after dusk more widely 40-50mph; sudden gusts downslope toward west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, buffeting gusts making balance increasingly difficult in places. More difficult conditions sooner in southern areas. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Largely dry, rare flurries
A coating of fresh snow on most higher slopes. Local occasional snow flurries mainly around Creag Meagaidh, rare brief flurries near/east of Loch Lomond and toward Arran. Spots of rain below 500m.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering some slopes, clearer west
Banks of cloud above 800-1000m, mostly northeast from group Ben Nevis and locally Arran, possibly Callander area. Good breaks westwards, many hills often clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% Ben Nevis to Creag Meagaidh, to 70% west coastal mountains.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine and thin high cloud, some patchy cloud; cloudier Glen Spean eastward. Slight haze possible, but visibility generally very good west Lochaber.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C (to -5C on Ben Nevis summit). Wind chill feeling like -15C over higher terrain, or colder late in day.
Freezing Level
700m, but near to freezing on some lower slopes early morning.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 15th November 2025
Last updated
Thu 13th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 35 to 50mph from dawn, strongest south, powerful gusts. Slowly decreasing, may drop below 20mph Lochaber later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect challenging conditions and significant wind chill in morning, risk much of day in south, but generally improving.
How Wet?
Generally dry
Chance of an isolated snow flurry, but most likely widely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little
Patchy cloud on some upper slopes mainly toward central highlands, but many western mountains substantially clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine best in west coastal areas. Some patchy cloud inland and south. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C (to -4C Ben Nevis summit in morning). Up to +1C on tops southern islands. Wind chill feeling like -15C in morning.
Freezing Level
Around 800m, local variations - some lower slopes near freezing in morning. Tending to rise a little, nearer 1000m in south.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Sunday 16th November 2025
Last updated
Thu 13th Nov 25 at
3:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 15 to 20mph, to at times 25mph mainly higher Ben Nevis group.
Effect of the wind on you?
Prepare for considerable wind chill on high tops; fairly small effect on walking, but blustery on a few exposed slopes.
How Wet?
Some snow flurries develop north
Largely dry, in southern areas most likely all day, but into afternoon some snow flurries above 800m coming in from the north into Lochaber, most likely around Creag Meagaidh; spots of rain lower down.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly very little
Fragments around some upper slopes and possible local mist some glens, but many mountains free of cloud. Patches likely drifting onto tops in northern Lochaber in afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine and some thin high cloud, then cloud tending to build from north with time. Visibility largely excellent, may reduce if showers arrive in north later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C, rising to to +1C afternoon. Feeling like -7C, to nearer -10C on higher Ben Nevis group in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Frost in glens, near or just below freezing at most elevations early in day; typical freezing level 900-1000m by midday.
Planning Outlook
Colder air extends to all areas, staying below freezing over higher mountains most likely throughout the next week to 10 days. In the short-term, for Wales and south Pennines expect ongoing flooding from high rainfall on Friday, the rain eases into Saturday here. A lot of dry weather for Scotland this weekend, but some snow flurries move in from the north on Sunday. Areas of showery snow over the hills into next week coming in on often strong northerly winds, gale force into midweek. Snow most frequent toward north of the Highlands with some locally more substantial accumulations over higher terrain; some accumulating upland snow possible more widely during Tuesday as a front drifts southward.