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.
Tuesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 1 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 1 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 7th October 2025
Last updated
Mon 6th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A swathe of fairly persistent rain and drizzle drifts gradually southwards over Scotland into northern England, some heavier pulses of rain. Brighter skies follow across the Highlands from the northwest, cloud base rising, brief showers. Wales has low cloud and drizzle in west. Gusty southwesterlies.
Headline for West Highlands
Wet morning, rain clears south, cloud lifts and breaks; wind eases.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwest then westerly, gusty 40-50mph from dawn into early morning, for longest in south; tending to ease to 20-25mph. Starting to rise a little into the night to 25-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Buffeting and difficult walking early morning, but improving, soonest in Lochaber to become fairly small, though feeling cool in exposure.
How Wet?
Rain sometimes heavy in morning, slowly clears southwards
Rain persistent in the morning, heavy at times. Rain tending to fade and break up from the northwest into middle of day Lochaber to Mull, during the afternoon for Loch Lomond to Arran. One or two showers possible later near Mull. Wet underfoot, fast-flowing streams.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive in rain, but rising during day, breaks to tops
Shrouding the mountains widely in the morning, to lower elevations nearer to coasts during rain. Cloud base rising as rain eases, soonest in Lochaber, breaks toward upper slopes, but patches come and go above 1000-1200m afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 70% from northwest into afternoon.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy morning, hazy, or poor visibility in rain. Improving with brighter skies developing from north, some sun breaking through and visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C from before dawn, then dropping during daytime to 4 or 5C. Directly in the wind feeling near -5C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but dropping close to Ben Nevis top during the day.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 8th October 2025
Last updated
Mon 6th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 25 to 35mph, likely strongest into the afternoon and across Lochaber, may reach 50mph Ben Nevis.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, challenging balance on ridges, increasingly arduous walking on some high terrain. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle, mostly Lochaber
Light showery rain in the morning, most frequent Lochaber to Mull, here merging into more persistent rain and drizzle with time. Smaller amounts reaching well inland and southern hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive, lowering
Covering higher mountains throughout the day, highest bases in the morning, some breaks above 900m inland, but lowering to become extensive with time. Filling in to increasingly lower slopes in coastal areas and islands.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% dropping below 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun in morning, mainly inland. Visibility starts good, but some haze, becoming widely poor in most areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C rising during day to 6C. Feeling like -5C in the wind, later -10C higher tops.
Freezing Level
Near freezing point on highest summits in Ben Nevis group in morning, then rising.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 9th October 2025
Last updated
Mon 6th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 35 to 50mph, strongest sustained speeds Ben Nevis range; powerful gusts through passes and downslope to east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Considerable buffeting on exposed terrain making balance challenging, sudden gusts not just on tops. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Drizzle
Total rainfall small, but frequently drizzly particularly more western mountains, sometimes more constant drizzly rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest coasts
Covering the hills most likely all day, above 500-600m western areas, or to some lower slopes toward the islands. Base higher inland, mostly above 800m east of Ben Nevis and around Rannoch Moor.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare moments of sun through the cloud. Hazy below cloud, visibility reduced to poor in drizzle.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C. Feeling like -7C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Strong westerly winds prevail into the second half of this week, gale-force over Scottish mountains; prepare for considerable chill factor. Drizzly rain and low cloud most persistent western areas. Pressure gradually rises from the south, improving conditions toward the weekend as wind drops lighter, most places become dry and cloud tends to break. Northwest Scotland likely to hold on to stronger winds, cloud and some drizzle into Saturday. Scope for inversion conditions to develop with some valley fog and varied low cloud. Settled weather is likely to continue into next week, with pleasant days and cool nights.