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
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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
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
Saturday 11th April 2026
Last updated
Fri 10th Apr 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy with significant chill factor. Gales develop and strengthen with time England & Wales. At first, a band of persistent snowfall across the hills, rain lower slopes, soon moving away eastwards, leaving clearer conditions and scattered showers, but becoming locally heavy with hail and chance of thunder.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Windy, gales early, again later Skye. Scattered hail showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40-50mph widely at first, then 30-40mph, quite variable, at times lighter winds east and north during middle of day into afternoon. Increasing again later in west, widely again after dark, to southeasterly 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking with significant wind chill all day. Balance and stability more substantially challenged early and late. Locally more moderate conditions inland and northern areas for several hours.
How Wet?
Frequent snow/hail showers
Dawn rain and snow soon clears east, followed by scattered snow and hail showers, mostly Skye and nearby, rain below 500m; a risk of isolated lightning. Showers trending northward afternoon, easing later in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly early, improving to many clear tops
Most Munros shrouded at dawn from at least 800m and up, lower bases on southern slopes, soon beginning to lift and break from Skye and gradually more widely. Cloud returns to the summits in the south and west in showers, eastern Munros often clear through afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine increasingly common, perhaps more extensive later. Very good visibility but suddenly very poor in rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C rising to 0 or +1C afternoon. Feeling like -15C in direct wind, then colder later in west as speeds increase.
Freezing Level
Variable, around 600-700m, locally to some lower slopes at first; tending to rise toward 900-1000m, but lowering in showers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 12th April 2026
Last updated
Fri 10th Apr 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South then southwesterly, 45 to 60mph, stronger gusts in showers in west. Tending to lessen gradually afternoon-evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult walking conditions, powerful squally gusts could knock you over on exposed terrain. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Heavy showers, hail, snow
Showers merging into more constant falls toward Skye and Torridon, and increasingly widespread showers north/eastward by afternoon; heavy bursts with hail, snow at times falling toward 600m, risk of isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying, most persistent near Skye
Frequently covering western tops from Wester Ross to Skye above 800m, some patches to 600m or lower in showers, but brief breaks to upper slopes. Better breaks further north/east away from showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% west, to 40% north/east
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent bright sunshine, but rare around Skye. Visibility changing suddenly from very good to briefly appalling in snow/hail and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C rising to +1 or 2C. Wind chill feeling like -15C on tops.
Freezing Level
800-900m from dawn, rising above 1000m, then lowering again from dusk; briefly dropping also in showers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 13th April 2026
Last updated
Fri 10th Apr 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, may be southwesterly at first, 20 to 25mph, nearer 30mph early in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but more noticeably blustery on some exposed tops, giving considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Hail showers most widely afternoon
Showers mostly coastal areas near Skye early morning, then a scattering forming inland into afternoon, most widespread later afternoon, briefly heavy with hail, also snow may fall to 600m. Risk isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Often above hills, varied in showers
Patches of cloud forming around some upper slopes in the morning, lifting above many tops. Then occasional banks forming over hills during and after showers. The Cuillin more often covered above 700m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% Skye, to 60% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine most widely inland and north in morning, then cloud builds, leaving brief bursts of sun. Visibility excellent, but briefly very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C rising to +1 or 2C. Wind chill feeling like -7C to near -10C at first on tops.
Freezing Level
800m at first, also frost in some sheltered inland glens; rising above 1000m into middle of day and afternoon.
Planning Outlook
Chilly and showery conditions to start the new week, hail and a risk of isolated thunder into Monday afternoon, but less windy than the weekend. Drier for much of Tuesday, but rain and strengthening south-southwesterly winds likely return from the west later. Milder into mid-late next week, but Scottish high tops above 1200m close to freezing at times. Showers or more persistent rain mostly in the west, accompanied by strong winds Wednesday-Thursday. Higher pressure builds toward next weekend, bringing drier conditions overall; some chilly nights but fairly mild spring days.