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.)
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra 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.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 1st October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Showery outbreaks in Wales and west Scotland, early hill cloud tends to lift with breaks. Showers well-scattered elsewhere, early hill cloud largely clears. Showers lessen widely, often sunny though some haze. Mild temperatures, warm valleys afternoon; west Scotland starts cool, feeling chilly in a blustery wind.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Showers and hill cloud tending to improve; breezy
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-35mph, least wind east where may variably lessen slightly. Strengthening into evening, to 40mph over the Cuillin, more widely overnight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure along the west coast, particularly Skye with a chilly feeling; sometimes fairly small east, then deteriorating overnight.
How Wet?
Showers south and west
Showers rather frequent on Skye, merging into sustained falls, reaching towards Kintail. Nearby hills see regular showers. Showers increasingly scattered north and eastward, only passing afternoon sprinkles Easter Ross.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting off most summits except Skye and nearby
The Cuillin and nearby hills shrouded from 500-600m up in the morning, banks over tops along the west coast to the north. Elsewhere, patchy banks over tops, briefly more broadly, but generally breaking up, only few patches on mainland tops later; banks cling to Cuillin summits.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% Skye, rising to 70% elsewhere
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, increasingly widely to the north and east, a little high cloud arriving later. Very good visibility, a haze offshore to the west.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C to start, rising a degree, locally 7C on sunny slopes to the east. Feeling like 0 to -3C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 2nd October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, sometimes quite gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in exposure all day with a chilly feeling, some more strenuous moments in buffeting gusts and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Often raining
Several pulses of showery rain spread across most hills, persistent falls, sometimes heavy along the west coast. Rain may rarely cease on Skye.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, local variability
Cuillin in cloud to low slopes most of the day. West coast hills often shrouded above 500-600m, may break higher between pulses of showers. Highest breaks eastward, though any breaks to Munro summits likely just brief.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few odd brighter glimpses, more often overcast, dull towards the west. Mostly poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 to 7C, mildest Easter Ross. Feeling like 0 to -3C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 25-35mph, trending southwesterly and strengthening, 45-50mph evening, further rising.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking in exposure with notable wind chill, deteriorating to challenging conditions into night.
How Wet?
Showery rain
Spots of rain drift from the west from morning, a few bursts of more frequent rain, and perhaps a few hours of sustained falls Skye and nearby, locally heavy. May set in more widely into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Cloud covers Munro summits most or all day, small chance of breaks just above during lulls in rain, but also lowering more broadly over high terrain as rain comes, as low as 400-500m on the Cuillin during heaviest rainfall. May fill in more widely into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Varied visibility, good if cloud breaks but a haze, particularly towards the coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C, rising a degree Ben Wyvis/Easter Ross. Feeling like -5C, later -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Friday starts the weekend with windy and damp weather, rain quite frequent with extensive cloud for some. On Saturday, higher pressure expands from the south, gradually settling the weather in England and Wales. Scotland remains breezy with cloud and showers, mostly impacting western regions. The following week remains mixed: high pressure to the south and west bringing some windows of brighter, drier weather primarily to England and Wales, but active low pressure systems will break through as well for spells of widespread wind, sometimes gale force, and bands of rain followed by showers. Precise timing of settled versus unsettled weather is currently uncertain. Temperatures variably mild to cool, beginning to reach freezing on Scottish summits, or lower down on clear nights.