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.)
Saturday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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
Saturday 29th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Northerly winds bring cloud and some light rain to northern Scotland, but winds fall light for much of the Highlands - varied low cloud banks tend to rise, isolated showers possible afternoon. Rain for Wales from early morning, extending further north over England during the day, often heavy, risk thunder.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Cool breeze eases, low cloud and damp north, brighter south.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 10 to 20mph in the morning, strongest northern areas, in places 25mph early in day. Becoming variable 5-10mph many places afternoon, but still northerly 15mph at times 20mph Ben Hope to Dornoch Firth.
Effect of the wind on you?
Feeling breezy and noticeably cool in exposure early in the day where exposed to the north, becoming small, or negligible more widely during afternoon.
How Wet?
Patchy drizzle, chance local showers later
Drizzly on high terrain, a general damp feeling particularly northern areas in the morning. Some local showery rain developing here and there, chance of an isolated showery burst mainly inland later.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive north, rising with some breaks south
Cloud shrouds most terrain above 300-500m to start, varying banks in places. Bases lifting, breaks towards 800-900m, mostly southern areas, clearing higher up at times afternoon areas from Kintail to Skye. Hills north of Ullapool see only slight improvement, rarely above 700m. Varying and lowering widely if showers form.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% all day far north; rising to 60% south afternoon.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy start, patchy sun forms mainly to the south of Torridon where visibility becomes very good. Poorer visibility north where more often cloudy all day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C, lifting to 10C afternoon away from the far north, locally a degree warmer south of Torridon. Feeling near to freezing if exposed to strongest breeze in north early morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 30th August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally southerly, 5 to 15mph, though variable in both speed and direction, often strongest near Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small, sudden gusts in showers.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, heavier falls forming
Patchy rain here and there much of the day, generally local in nature, with early drizzle on coastal high terrain. Heavier falls will form as well, more frequently later, in southern areas, chance isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting towards summits for a time
Shrouding high terrain at dawn, varied lower banks, locally into the glens where rain occurs. A lifting trend, may break up somewhat for a few fleeting summit breaks, but increasingly extensive again over high terrain at least as rain increases.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 50% for a time
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun, very good visibility but increasingly overcast, visibility turns poor later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, rising a degree south and western hill groups.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 31st August 2026
Last updated
Fri 28th Aug 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 10-20mph early morning, then westerly 25-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small to start, but increasingly blustery affecting ease of walking in exposure. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain on and off
Showery rain much of the day, some drier moments, but rain fairly frequent over western hills. Some heavier bursts move east during afternoon, chance of thunder. Patchy rain returns from west into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowest morning, often covering west tops
Fairly widespread to low elevations early in day. The base tending to rise but rarely above 700-800m in west, only brief breaks. Further east at times clearing above 900m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, brief glimpses of sun, locally more frequent sun near west coast late in day. Visibility good away from showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C tending to lower during day to 6C. Feeling near then just below freezing as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A generally unsettled outlook through the extended weekend and into the start of September with frequent rain and strong winds. Areas of low pressure and frontal systems move in from the Atlantic. Dropping cooler, notably chilly over Scottish mountains into Tuesday, close to freezing point on highest summits with significant wind chill in strong westerlies. A brief window of better conditions into Wednesday soon deteriorates from the west as southwesterly winds strengthen, reaching gale force over the mountains frequently in the second half of the week. Heavy rain most prolonged in the west where increasingly wet underfoot. Likely staying unsettled into next weekend and the following week.