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.)
Today's Forecast
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Fine, partly cloudy, snow cover on tops
Mostly dry with partly cloudy skies; patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes; tops remain capped with snow.
Clear over snow cover
Excellent or superb visibility, but be aware that some paths over higher summits may be obscured by lying snow.
Chilly
Air temperature near or just above freezing on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Fine, partly cloudy, snow cover on tops
Mostly dry with partly cloudy skies; patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes; tops remain capped with snow.
Clear over snow cover
Excellent or superb visibility, but be aware that some paths over higher summits may be obscured by lying snow.
Chilly
Air temperature near or just above freezing on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 11th December 2024
Last updated
Tue 10th Dec 24 at
3:45PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Sunshine and little wind for Scotland, some areas of low-level fog; extensive snow cover over the mountains. Above an inversion, air temperature on tops above freezing, but hard frost into the glens. A chilly easterly breeze for England and Wales; sunshine best near west coasts, cloudier eastwards.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Light wind. Some coastal cloud, otherwise sunny above inversion.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 5-10mph or less most areas. Westerly in far north, 10-15mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly negligible
How Wet?
Largely dry
A little fine drizzle may drift onto coastal slopes in the far northwest mainly morning.
Cloud on the hills?
Cloud banks some coastal hills, tops clear
Patchy low cloud drifting onto some lower and mid slopes near to west & north coast, locally clinging around a few corries, but higher tops likely above cloud. Many areas inland and south toward Great Glen clear all day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% coasts; 90% inland.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy cloud and mist locally near to west coast and far north. Many mountains sunny with excellent visibility. Thin high cloud may cover the sky northern areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C (lower slopes inland colder).
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but terrain widely at least partly frozen, with frost in many glens away from the coast.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 12th December 2024
Last updated
Tue 10th Dec 24 at
3:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 10-15mph inland, to 20-25mph Cuillin and a few mountains near west coast elsewhere, local gusts 30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but breezier on some western slopes, gusty in places.
How Wet?
Largely dry
Possible fine drizzle on some slopes toward western coasts if in cloud.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly on and near Skye
Banks of cloud on some slopes around Skye and nearby west coast, but higher mountains may still poke out above this layer. Further inland, fog mostly in glens.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50% around Skye; 80% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine fairly widespread and visibility excellent on higher terrain, above fog in places; possibly thin high cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C (lower slopes inland colder).
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but terrain stays at least partly frozen, frost in many glens away from the coast.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 13th December 2024
Last updated
Tue 10th Dec 24 at
3:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15 to 25mph, locally gusty 30mph mountains near west coast.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but marked wind chill on higher terrain, may affect balance on exposed ridges in west.
How Wet?
Occasional light snow or rain
Damp air where in cloud. Patchy drizzle or snow flurries on higher slopes, mostly western hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive western hills
Shrouding the mountains with banks of cloud possible at various elevations, but covering many west coastal areas to lower slopes. Less chance of high tops emerging out of cloud, but some local breaks in east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun and good visibility mainly east. Misty many western areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 0C.
Freezing Level
Varied, typically 800 to 1000m, but many glens away from the coast remaining at least partly frozen.
Planning Outlook
High pressure weakens beyond midweek, allowing fog banks to drift higher up on the hills, local pockets of drizzle forming. As the inversion situation fades, temperatures will fall back to freezing on higher terrain by Friday and Saturday; some snow flurries as northwesterly winds develop. Stronger westerly winds by Sunday, severe gales likely at least on Scottish mountains. Milder for a few days Sunday into early next week with thawing, rain focused on western Scotland, low cloud widely on western hills. Varied temperatures later next week, but greater uncertainty of weather detail by then. Indications favour higher pressure returning toward the Christmas period.