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.)
Wednesday'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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold with widespread gales in exposure; powerful gusts and severe wind chill. North and west Scotland often dry and free of cloud; an increasing risk of snow south with time, possibly east as well. English hills largely dry, hill cloud mostly isolated to high Pennines. Cloudier Wales with snow arriving from the south.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Gales, powerful gusts and severe chill factor; hills mostly clear
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 25-35mph from dawn, strongest wind in the south; soon strengthening, 45-55mph widely with powerful gusts over high tops and downslope to the northwest approaching 60mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
Conditions soon deteriorate to arduous-to-challenging, including on lower terrain due to chaotic, buffeting gusts, the strongest of which require crouching for stability. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Any precipitation unlikely
Late in the day, a risk of snow approaching Skye for a few hours (rain into the glens), but may remain entirely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Little or none
Cloud caps will graze the high summits from near Ullapool northward to Ben Hope from time to time, an odd cap grazing Ben Wyvis possible as well, but the Munros otherwise free of cloud. Late in the day, cloud may begin to affect high Skye terrain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud, increasingly shrouded Skye and nearby. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
As cold as -5C on Munros from Kintail to east of Ullapool in the morning, up to -3C on west coastal slopes; later more widely -3C, a degree higher west coast. Feeling like -15 to -20C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen from dawn, low sun-exposed slopes seeing light thaws, up to 400m. freezing level poorly defined on far northwestern areas, local higher thaws here.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 19th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35-45mph, strong gusts; trending southerly with time, approaching 55mph or higher Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous with severe wind chill; buffeting in exposure making it challenging to stay on your feet.
How Wet?
Some patchy coastal precipitation
Patchy snow affecting west coastal slopes in the afternoon, rain below 300-400m; spreading more widely over Skye later and then inland into nighttime.
Cloud on the hills?
Little expected
The hills largely cloud free. Later in the day, cloud moves in from the west to graze high terrain, spreading inland into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud, which may thicken with time. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Between -3 to -1C, local variability and only little change with added height. Feeling like -15 to -18C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen from dawn, lifting though spatially variable, 400-600m, perhaps higher to the far north and west.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 20-30mph, later trending SW'ly and rising, notably west coast, to 40mph at least and gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking becomes arduous with time; significant wind chill and stability requiring constant effort in exposure.
How Wet?
Often raining, afternoon breaks inland
Snow spreads across most mountains through morning, rain to low slopes at first but rising. A breaking trend, though often drizzly/rainy on Skye and Torridon, patches continue up the west coast too.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, breaks north and inland
Extensive cloud from middle slopes up Skye/Torridon, to lower slopes during rain. Also often to middle slopes along the west coast, some breaks to higher slopes during rain cessations, best chance of high breaks well inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy but a few bright or sunny breaks well inland and north. Visibility often poor, but excellent during breaks in cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C, rising, reaching +2C. Feeling like -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m, though variable, some low slope frosts at dawn; rising with time to high slopes.
Planning Outlook
Much terrain in England and Scotland remains frozen as the weekend approaches. However, freezing level will be less well defined on western slopes as stable downslope flow may warm and thaw frozen ground up to middle elevations, particularly in Wales and England. Friday into the weekend sees a switch to southwesterly winds, bringing milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels. Often cloudy with periods of rain further south, most often affecting western and southern hills where cloud will be lowest and at times drizzly in the south. Often windy with upland gales.