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.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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.
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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.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Scotland starts windy with rain in the northwest highlands, this spreading fairly widely over the highlands into afternoon and evening. Wind eases, some bright breaks in the far northwest. Feeling damp, warm, and often cloudy England and Wales, drizzle on west hills, odd patchy rain, but sun glimpses too.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Wind and rain early, both easing, becoming cool, bright north
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40mph, gusting 50mph around dawn, beginning to gradually lessen, finishing near 20-25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions start the day, strong gusts requiring bracing to maintain balance, conditions gradually ease, to fairly small late in the day.
How Wet?
Most rain in morning
Steady rain with heavier moments for a few hours in the morning. Smaller patchier amounts northeast, and becoming drier into afternoon, though rain at times returning from Skye towards Ben Wyvis. An odd drizzly shower possible northwest as well.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, then rising, best breaks north
Shrouding hills from lower elevations upward around Skye and nearby hills, fairly extensive most western hills above 600m. Higher bases northeast, but lowering extensively in rain. Cloud starts to break up from midday, first northwest, gradually further south, Kintail slowest to break, and caps continue to graze tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy, murky, poor visibility in rain, then improving to patchy sun and good visibility, a coastal haze building later; staying more often cloudy in the far south.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C and quite humid early morning, soon lowering, to 6C much of afternoon. Feeling near/below 0C in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 15-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Locally blustery over the tops but otherwise fairly small.
How Wet?
Showers, tending to scatter
Showers drift onto the hills from the west in the morning. May be frequent with some heavy bursts for a time, but tending to scatter, only isolated showers later.
Cloud on the hills?
Coming and going over tops
Cloud variably passes above 800-900m during showers, mostly western slopes, a few lower ragged patches during rain but the cloud breaking off the summits after showers pass. May more often cover west tops for a time but a lifting tendency.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A patchwork of cloud and sun, most often sunny on lower slopes. Very good visibility, a little haze.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C. Feeling below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 24th September 2026
Last updated
Mon 21st Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, strengthening, sustained 50-60mph later, strongest west with powerful downslope gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking soon challenging, notably west, gusts knocking you off your feet; feeling chilly despite mild temperature.
How Wet?
A little rain, later more widely
A little drizzle and patchy rain on Skye, sometimes spreading more widely, but most Munros largely dry into the afternoon. Rain increasingly sets in Skye, then spreads widely; timing of arrival currently uncertain.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly clear morning, gradually increasing
A few patches graze the Cuillin through morning, but most hills stay clear. Through afternoon, banks more often covering the Cuillin, spreading more widely and filling in over high terrain with time, lowering towards 600-700m Cuillin later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%, lowering to 30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, weakened by high cloud, trending cloudier. Very good visibility, a little coastal haze building.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6C rising to 9C, staying elevated into night. Feeling as cold as -5C in strongest wind later.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A heavier swathe of rain moves east Wednesday morning, soon clearing Scotland but leaving a few showers behind, later clearing England and Wales. Southwesterly winds increase again on Thursday and rain later moves into western Scotland, but elsewhere is likely dry, bright in Wales and much of England. A variable outlook continues next weekend and beyond with high pressure building from the south at times with fairly warm and dry conditions, but Atlantic systems still pass to the north bringing occasional rain and showers toward western Scotland at least, strong wind here with sustained gales in the north. Next week remains on the unsettled side: west-southwesterly wind with bands of rain passing over most mountains, but a trend towards higher pressure brings longer settled windows into October.