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.)
Tuesday'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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
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
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 24th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread gales, severe early in Scotland. Showers in west Scotland, pushing east, turning snowy and setting in for a time. Near constant rain for Lakeland and Yorks Dales, becoming heavy with a rising flood risk. Rain spreads widely across England and Wales later, wind strengthens in Wales.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Gales, severe early; heavy snow and hail showers
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 40 to 60mph, peak speeds likely in the north early, locally 70mph. An easing is probable afternoon, most likely south, to around 30mph; powerful squally gusts will occur all day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions across the mountains in the morning, any mobility often very challenging in exposure and severe wind chill. Though an easing trend is probable afternoon, the risk remains of sudden gusts and rising speeds again.
How Wet?
Heavy snow and hail showers, risk setting in southern Munros
Snow and hail showers from the west, increasingly heavy and frequent, clustering into more constant precipitation for periods, snow increasingly toward lower elevations, around 400-500m afternoon. Afternoon brings a greater risk of persistent precipitation near Kintail.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, fairly extensive tops, more extensive south afternoon
Cloud base constantly changing, but often covering high terrain, bases varying 600 to 900m, only brief breaks higher up. For several afternoon hours, cloud more extensive Torridon and south, 600m upward.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief glimpses of sun mostly northeast. Visibility very poor at times, appalling in snow and cloud; intermittently good during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C at first, lowering to -2C afternoon, lowering another degree or two overnight. Feeling as cold as -15 to -18C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
As dawn approaches, lowering onto higher tops, to 700m by around noon, further lowering to 500-600m by dusk.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 25th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 35 to 45mph, varying speeds with squally gusts around showers, risk up to 55mph Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, frequent buffeting, often arduous over higher exposed terrain. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent hail and snow
Showery snow and hail falling to lower slopes, frequent to at times near-constant over coastal areas in the north and west, but extending across all the region. Risk of isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying, but often capping tops
Cloud base constantly changing, will come and go all day above 800-900m, frequently capping high tops toward coasts, patches at times to 600m. Briefly clearing tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of bright sun. Visibility intermittently very good, but appalling for periods in showers with brief whiteout over tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -4C, slight rise into afternoon. Wind chill feeling like -17 to -20C on tops.
Freezing Level
400m from dawn, lifting to 500-600m, slightly higher away from showers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 26th March 2026
Last updated
Mon 23rd Mar 26 at
3:55PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
NW'ly 20-30mph early, strongest far north. Easing to 10-15mph, shifting W'ly, then SW'ly, restrengthening into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded with some stability challenges in exposure early in the day, easing to fairly small.
How Wet?
Early and late precipitation, but mostly dry
Some early snow showers near and north of Ullapool, soon easing for several dry hours. Patchy snow arriving to the high tops afternoon, becoming more widespread and falling as rain into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Just high tops most of the day, often clear
Some cloud banks drifting over the high tops, mostly in the north, but summits often clear well into the day. Later, with the arrival of precipitation, cloud gradually fills in extensively across high terrain and lowers into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%, lowering to 40% late in the day
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine early in the day, soon weakened by high cloud, increasingly overcast. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4C, rising to -2C, then up to several degrees above freezing overnight. Feeling as cold as -15 in direct wind early.
Freezing Level
300-400m, some lower frosts likely too. A slight rise, then sharply lifting above the summits for several overnight hours.
Planning Outlook
Cold, wintry conditions across all mountains into midweek - significant chill factor from gale force west then northwesterly winds. Hail and snow showers extend southwards into Wednesday, by then below freezing on all tops above 600-700m. Fewer showers by Thursday for many, though further snow then rain moves into western Scotland. Temperature and freezing level then varying as changeable westerlies prevail for Scotland through the weekend into early next week with periods of upland gales widely, accompanied by spells of rain, hill snow and hail showers; some windows of drier weather more often affect England & Wales.