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.)
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Thunderstorms
Bursts of rain, torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Thunderstorms
Bursts of rain, torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 30th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cool, windy, and showery in Scotland. Gales and heavy showers pass west-to-east across the highlands, showers most frequent with lightning risk north. Starting breezy with rain over the Pennines and Wales, this clearing east for sun, a few odd showers northwest England. Mild-to-warm England and Wales.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Heavy showers, risk thunder; windy, gales for a time
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15 to 25mph at dawn, then a swathe of higher speeds passes east for a few hours, top speeds to 35-40mph and stronger gusts in the morning/midday. Reorienting west-northwesterly with speeds reducing, to 25-35mph later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Highly variable, ease of walking always impacted on summits, but a period of more strenuous-to-arduous walking over high southern Munros with notable wind chill; considerable buffeting around showers.
How Wet?
Heavy showers, setting in for a time with risk of lightning
Showers all day with a zone of more persistent heavy rain passing east over a few hours; torrential downpours forming with a chance of lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Shrouding most tops, variably to lower slopes
Covering much high terrain most of the day. Some higher breaks early, briefly to or off summits. Variable around rain, more extensive to some mid-slopes for periods, lowest west where ragged patches to forest canopies at times.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun glimpses, mostly early and late; otherwise cloudy with often poor visibility in hill cloud and heavy rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, lowering to 4C later in daytime. Feeling near -5C if direct wind, approaching -10C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 31st July 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20 to 30mph, some variability, strongest north where gusts around showers approach 40-45mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting ease of walking on high terrain, gusts affecting balance on ridges and tops. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Showery, turning heavy
Showers, mostly toward west coast early, but developing increasingly widely, some heavy bursts forming inland and east into afternoon. Chance isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Often covering higher slopes
Fairly widespread above 600 to 800m early in day, lowest in west, tending to lift to 800-900m with breaks toward tops. Variable as showers come and go, low ragged patches during/after rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun in the morning, clouding over into the afternoon. Visibility very good below cloud, but reduced in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, slight rise afternoon. Feeling nearer -5C in strongest gusts on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 1st August 2026
Last updated
Wed 29th Jul 26 at
4:29PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-30mph, notable variability, gusts forming as showers develop.
Effect of the wind on you?
May be locally fairly small but strongest gusts on high terrain will affect stability at times with notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers, becoming widespread
Showers drive onto western Munros most of the day, most persistent and heavy towards the northwest. Several hours of more widespread afternoon showers, heaviest falls northward.
Cloud on the hills?
Improving trend, some breaks, variable
Fairly extensive above 600-700m in the morning, lowest and most extensive towards west coast. A lifting trend, breaks above 900m increasingly common, but lower banks return around showers, more widely for a time afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, best south and east. Varied visibility, very good where out of cloud and rain; a west coastal haze builds later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, rising a degree. Feeling like -5C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Cool and showery westerlies into the weekend, windy over high terrain; western hills often capped in cloud. Southern Pennines and Wales likely see only scattered showers and remain warm. Cloud encroaches from the southwest on Sunday, winds turn southerly and warmer air wafts back across England and Wales. A complex area of low pressure is then expected to circulate slowly over Britain early next week, bringing areas of rain and heavy showers, some thundery downpours possible. Winds varying, trending northerly and strengthening, to gales over high summits on Tuesday. A window of improvement from midweek, which may persist into the weekend, but a showery northwesterly persists in Scotland. Beware ongoing fire management restricting access to some mountains.