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.)
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 20th January 2022
Last updated
Wed 19th Jan 22 at
3:17PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A cold day, much terrain frozen, including frost in sheltered valleys. Brisk N-NW'ly winds, up to gale force on eastern tops in the morning, giving significant chill factor on higher areas. A few snow flurries in northern Scotland, but most places dry with sunshine and most hills free of low cloud.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Cold, strongest winds north. Mainly dry, some cloud banks.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly in the range 20 to 30mph, strongest across the far north, at times 35-40mph tops during afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Will impede walking occasionally on higher slopes, particularly northern areas where wind chill will be significant at times.
How Wet?
Isolated snow flurries
Scattered snow flurries, mainly in the morning in Sutherland. Otherwise, dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly very little until late on in the west.
Occasional patches shrouding tops, mainly near west coast. Otherwise, hills clear. Towards dusk, cloud banks more widely lowering onto western coastal hills.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%, later 30% west coast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Periods of sunshine, but high cloud will build from the west through the day. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4 or -5C at first, lifting to -2C, or slightly higher onward into evening. Wind chill as cold as -18C in the strongest winds.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen from lower slopes upwards, but freezing level rising to 600m or above near west coast and Skye.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 21st January 2022
Last updated
Wed 19th Jan 22 at
3:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 25 to 40mph, strongest toward north; the strongest winds not necessarily on highest tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Very blustery and suddenly gusty in places, including through passes and to some lower slopes. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Small amounts in west
Occasional patches of drizzle, mainly west coastal hills, perhaps snow grains some slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Low cloud, some tops above
Banks of cloud are likely to cover western mountains most or all day, to lower slopes near coasts, although highest summits may well poke out just above cloud. The cloud more broken toward Moray Firth.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Lower western areas often cloudy or misty, occasional sun toward east. Some high tops may be sunny at times above cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
1C western mountains where in or around cloud, but rising locally as high as 5C some eastern tops.
Freezing Level
Frost in glens toward the Great Glen from dawn. Mountain terrain also partly frozen, but air temperature rising above zero.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 22nd January 2022
Last updated
Wed 19th Jan 22 at
3:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly, in range 30 to 45mph, typically strongest northern areas, but risk of powerful gusts elsewhere.
Effect of the wind on you?
Considerable buffeting on many hills, in places sudden increases of wind around passes and to lower slopes.
How Wet?
Drizzly west
Western coastal hills may be often drizzly and damp through the day, snow grains on some slopes. Risk steadier rain for a time. Very little reaching eastern areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Low cloud focused west
Low cloud likely to shroud western areas to low elevations much of the day. Some higher slopes may emerge between or just above cloud layers. Breaks more frequent toward east, some hills often clearer.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, dull or misty many western areas, intermittent sun some higher slopes and toward the east. Visibility sometimes very good away from cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
As high as 3 to 5C in places, but some slopes nearer to 0C where in low cloud.
Freezing Level
Air temperature mostly above freezing point, but some upland terrain frozen or partly frozen.
Planning Outlook
High pressure extends back across Britain later this week to become centred over England and Wales into the weekend and next week, allowing westerly winds to influence Scotland. Temperatures will drift back above freezing point on most hills from Friday, although some western slopes will stay close to zero where in cloud banks. Inversion conditions varied from day to day, with high tops lying above or sometimes between cloud layers. Frost in some valleys, less so in the north & west. Mostly small amounts of precipitation in the week ahead. Where snow exists on high tops, beware of compacted hard snow and ice. Strongest winds toward the northern Highlands, at times gale force and very gusty.