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.)
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 6th July 2026
Last updated
Sun 5th Jul 26 at
4:00PM
Windy and generally wet across Scottish hills, rain and drizzle most persistent in northwestern Highlands. Breezy, damp and drizzly too for northern England. Drier and lighter winds for Wales. Poor visibility with low cloud cloaking many hills through the day, best of any breaks toward east.
Gusting gale-force over tops. Rain and blanket cloud.
West-southwesterly 30 to 40mph, lowest speeds in north at first, but strengthening widely during morning, gusting 45-50mph over high tops.
Strenuous walking in exposure, challenging at times during strongest gusts with considerable wind chill.
Rain most of the day, heavier early and late
Rain and drizzle all day, setting in for periods with heavy falls in the west, particularly in the morning, and likely again by evening. Somewhat patchier rain afternoon, a few breaks east but only brief and always feeling damp. Very wet underfoot in western areas, streams high and fast-flowing, may block some footpaths.
Extensive
Cloud shrouds the hills from middle slopes upward. Bases always lowest towards west coast, patches into glens and coastal cliffs around heavy rain. May rise slightly afternoon, best inland, but unlikely anywhere above 700m.
10%
Overcast and dull. Poor visibility.
7 to 9C, coolest north, and likely warming a degree. Feeling near freezing or just below in strongest wind.
Above the summits.
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 7th July 2026
Last updated
Sun 5th Jul 26 at
4:00PM
Westerly 30-40mph dawn, strong gusts over tops, easing to 25-30mph, through always gusty.
Arduous walking with considerable buffeting and wind chill, effects easing but often strenuous in exposure.
Rain and drizzle
Drizzly over the high tops with patchy rain regularly drifting from the west, some extended spells of rain with local heavy falls. Slippery rock surfaces and staying wet underfoot to the west.
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.
10%
Overcast and dull. Poor visibility.
8 or 9C, rising slightly. Feeling just above freezing in direct wind.
Above the summits.
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 8th July 2026
Last updated
Sun 5th Jul 26 at
4:00PM
Southwesterly 20 to 35mph, varying, typically strongest around west coast.
Blustery in places around west coast, at times buffeting gusts affecting ease of walking and balance on ridges.
Drizzly west coast
Western mountains often drizzly and damp, may persist as steadier drizzle in the morning, becoming patchier afternoon. Further east more often dry.
Extensive low cloud west
Shrouding western hills much of day, to lower slopes near coast in morning, some rise of base through day, but rarely above 700-800m. Some breaks to tops eastern hills near Ben Wyvis.
20% west, 50% furthest east.
Cloudy and misty western hills, some glimpses of sun inland and further east; visibility good in east below cloud.
10C rising to 12C out of cloud.
Above the summits.
A damp start westerly pattern continues at the start of the week, particularly in Scotland, then a drier and warmer window builds into the middle of the week: very warm in England and Wales, spells of sunshine spread northward, and lighter wind. Some patchy rain continues through late week in western Scotland though detail is uncertain and more often dry. High pressure is indicated to expand across Scotland through next weekend bringing more widely dry and warm conditions in the extended outlook into mid July - easterly winds likely develop, particularly England and Wales; a chance of some thunderstorms.