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.)
Friday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Friday 22nd May 2026
Last updated
Thu 21st May 26 at
4:04PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Scotland; Strong, gusty south-westerly with extensive low cloud and patchy rain and drizzle. Tending to ease off for many hills, with rising cloud bases. England and Wales: South-west winds, but mostly dry with warm sunshine, some cloud banks, mostly coastal hills.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Blustery with hill fog and patchy rain focused in the west. Best breaks in north.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 30-35mph at dawn, 40mph gusts, including downslope. Easing to 20-30mph, strongest west, and gusty tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking early with considerable buffeting, including downslope; feeling chilly. Easing, but walking stays impeded.
How Wet?
Patchy rain and drizzle, focused in west
Patchy rain drifts from the southwest. The rain may be more widespread for a few early hours, and persistent Skye and Kintail. Best chance of dry windows of weather in the afternoon, but a lingering drizzle over summits. Heavier rain into the west evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive; lifting, best north
Cloud shrouds most hills above at least 600m, lowest southern and west coast Munros, towards 300m Skye and nearby. Lifting as rain eases, towards 700-900m, or higher to the north, some breaks possible. Always lowest Skye to Torridon and Kintail.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, but 60% toward Ben Hope.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast, a few glimpses of weak sun afternoon. Visibility poor at times in drizzle, mostly widely on and near Skye. May be excellent at times well inland and in the east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C rising to 10C east and north; little change Skye and southwest coast hills. Feeling near freezing in early wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 23rd May 2026
Last updated
Thu 21st May 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, strongest west, often gusting 35mph west coast, and strengthening, later gusting 45mph west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous widely, later arduous west coast with considerable buffeting; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
Some fine drizzle around Cuillin summits and nearby mainland summits too. Small chance of odd spots of light rain drifting near west coast Munros, but most hills dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to high terrain with breaks
Many hills shrouded above 600-700m in the morning, some local breaks; most extensive Skye, to 500m south Cuillin. A lifting trend, breaks probable too, best inland where cloud mostly just near summits. West coast may see lingering banks at 700-800m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50% inland
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy cloud and some weak sun, trending cloudier with time. Visibility increasingly very good, particularly inland.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising up to 7C Ben Wyvis to Ben Hope. Only slight rise Skye. Later feeling like -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 24th May 2026
Last updated
Thu 21st May 26 at
4:04PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to south-westerly 25 to 35mph, in excess of 40mph for a time west coast, and some cols and summits elsewhere.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for widely blustery conditions, perhaps arduous at times, especially for the west coast, with considerable buffeting.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain, focused in west
The moist south-west airflow will continue to feed drizzly rain in across the hills; most widely on and near Skye. Little if any reaching Ben Hope to Ben Wyvis.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive in the west, broken in the east.
A feed of low cloud will continue in across western hills giving extensive hill fog. Bases lifting and breaking further east, with good breaks Ben Hope to Ben Wyvis.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, but 60% northeast.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast, but glimpses of sun; best in the north and east. Visibility poor at times due to drizzly rain. Excellent mostly in the north and east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C, lowest west coast.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
Pressure builds this weekend, centred over England and Wales where it will be warm and sunny. To the north of the high, a blustery and gusty south-westerly will persist across the Highlands with patchy rain and hill fog,mainly in the west and northwest. Very warm by Sunday and Monday valleys of Wales and England, mid to high 20s. Low 20s glens into southern and eastern Scotland. Next week, high pressure extends over Scotland, cutting of the low cloud and drizzle from northwest Scotland by midweek. Warm sunshine with light winds, still very warm into the valleys of England and Wales, although cooling down later in the week when a gusty easterly may develop for Wales and Pennines.