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.)
Today's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Dry and sunny
Extensive strong warm sunshine, beware sunburn. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
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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.
Dry and sunny
Extensive strong warm sunshine, beware sunburn. The mountains free of cloud once any early mist patches disperse.
Warm
Comfortable temperatures on the hills, feeling pleasantly warm especially on lower ground. Beware of feeling cooler if exposed to wind on higher terrain.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 2nd May 2024
Last updated
Wed 1st May 24 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gusty easterly winds, turbulent near and west of major summits. Very warm for western Scotland with strong sunshine. Fog banks for eastern and central Highlands tending to break up, but may linger for Borders. Mostly dry northern England and Eryri, but thundery rain for south and possibly mid-Wales.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Gusty wind. Warm & sunny west. Some fog east.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 25mph to suddenly gusty 40mph around some mountains for periods, varied during day; powerful gusts in passes and downslope to west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Locally very varied, but expect sudden buffeting making walking arduous in places not just on higher terrain.
How Wet?
Most places dry
Fine drizzle if in cloud on eastern hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Fog banks eastern hills in morning; largely clear in west.
Banks of cloud clinging to some slopes, mainly over eastern hills in the morning; fog banks at lower elevations with some higher slopes above cloud for a time. Tending to slowly thin and disperse. West coast mountains generally clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% east to above 90% west coast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Strong sun and thin high cloud; beware sunburn. Very good visibility, but slight haze especially in east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C if in fog in east, but 10C in west, locally rising to 13C on/near Skye. (Reaching 20C+ some western glens). Feeling cooler if directly in wind, near freezing if out of the sun.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 3rd May 2024
Last updated
Wed 1st May 24 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 25 to 35mph
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for fairly arduous conditions with considerable wind chill and buffeting.
How Wet?
Low risk a shower
Chance of isolated showers breaking out into afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Hills mostly clear. A few cloud banks.
Hills mostly clear, or in the west, completely clear through the day. Some cloud banks, mostly in the east, and also in and around showers elsewhere.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloud layers thinning to reveal sunshine, most widely near west coast. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 4th May 2024
Last updated
Wed 1st May 24 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 20-30mph strongest in north in morning, gusty around major summits. May become light and variable near Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Risk locally blustery which may affect comfortable walking on tops mostly in north.
How Wet?
Local drizzle, risk heavy bursts later
Drizzly if in hill fog, mainly toward east. Many western areas often dry, but risk isolated bursts of rain forming. By late in the day, greater risk of scattered heavy and possibly thundery bursts developing.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent low cloud in east
Blanket fog from lower elevations upward in eastern areas. Some hill slopes inland may be between cloud layers for periods. Breaks better westwards toward Skye, some western hills often clearer all day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% east to 60% west.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun mainly near west coast, but weak through high level cloud. General slight haze, but murkier eastern areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C in east Ben Wyvis to Ben Hope, up to 10C near west coast and on Skye.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Slow-moving weather patterns continue into the Bank Holiday weekend as a weak zone of low pressure drifts over the British Isles. There will remain uncertainty of local day-to-day detail, but most likely the wind often light and temperatures generally mild, but less warm than midweek in western Scotland. Low cloud, drizzle and scattered bursts of rain moving from northern England on Friday into the Highlands by Saturday. Then Sunday into Monday, varied zones of heavy showers forming, locally thundery, but some places escaping often dry with broken cloud and sun. High pressure then tends to build from the west into midweek to bring a fair amount of dry weather.