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.)
Tuesday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 7th July 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Jul 26 at
4:21PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy over high terrain, strongest in the morning, again later in Scotland. Damp and murky north and western Highlands, more persistent rain at times. Some improvement southern Highlands in afternoon. Often dry for northern England, but higher fells shrouded in cloud. Brighter for Wales as cloud thins.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Windy, gales mainly later. Wet, persistent low cloud.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30-40mph around dawn, strong gusts over tops, easing to 25-30mph morning into middle of day, increasing a little again during afternoon, 40-45mph with stronger gusts toward evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking with considerable buffeting and wind chill, effects easing for a few hours but often strenuous in exposure, later in day more difficult again.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle
Persistent light rain and drizzle in west, but some extended spells of rain with local heavy falls. Patchier eastwards. Slippery rock surfaces and staying wet underfoot to the west, fast-flowing streams may block some routes.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
West coastal slopes shrouded to low elevations all day, patches into glens during heavier rain. Inland slopes shrouded to mid-elevations, a slight rise but unlikely breaking above 700-800m at any point.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull. Poor visibility west, better eastern glens below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, rising slightly. Feeling near or just below freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 8th July 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Jul 26 at
4:21PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20 to 35mph, varying, typically strongest far north in morning, more widely along west coast later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in places especially coastal hills, at times buffeting gusts affecting ease of walking and balance on ridges.
How Wet?
Drizzly west coast
Western mountains often drizzly and damp, steadier drizzle in the morning, becoming patchier and fading out afternoon. Further east more often dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive low cloud west
Shrouding western hills much of day, to lower slopes near coast in morning, some rise of base with time, but rarely above 700-800m west. Breaks form on eastern hills near Ben Wyvis. Tops above 1000-1100m near top of cloud.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% west, 50% furthest east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy and misty western hills, some glimpses of sun inland and further east; visibility good in east below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10C rising to 13C out of cloud. Feeling like 0 to 5C where exposed to stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 9th July 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Jul 26 at
4:21PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 35mph, gusty around high tops, strongest for mountains along the west coast.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting comfortable walking and balance over higher terrain, some buffeting gusts at times including in passes and downslope.
How Wet?
A little drizzle west
Patchy drizzle in west, may be frequent for periods over coastal mountains on and near Skye. Largely dry inland and east.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering most hills
Fairly extensive cloud banks between 500 and 1000m, some mist at first locally into glens. Highest tops just above cloud early in day, but cloud then drifts higher up to shroud tops. Likely to persist west, base lifting to 800m inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, misty over hills, but some highest tops may poke into clearer air and sun for a time at least. Lower down may visibility may improve slowly.
How Cold? (at 900m)
11C up to 14C if not in cloud on high terrain. Feeling like 3 to 6C if directly in wind on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A drier and warmer window builds into the middle of this week: very warm in England and Wales. Still low cloud persistent especially toward northwest Scotland, but spells of sunshine spread northward, and lighter wind. Some rain late this week in western Scotland though mostly light and patchy, many places dry. High pressure expands across Scotland through the weekend bringing more widely clearer hills, dry and warm conditions in the extended outlook into mid July - easterly winds likely develop, particularly England and Wales; a chance of some isolated thunderstorms occasionally.