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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Snow and rain mix
Precipitation falling mostly as snow on higher terrain, rain on low-to-middle elevations, may turn to sleet or rain higher up.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 31st December 2025
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Much terrain frozen, frost into valleys and glens in the morning, all day out of sunlight, but temperature and freezing level tending to lift toward 800m from west. Showery rain and hill snow moving into W-NW Scotland. Wind strengthening, becoming gales over tops in Scotland during day, then N England after dark.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Increasingly windy, gales develop. Showery rain and hill snow.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30 to 40mph, strongest in northern areas, tending to increase widely, 50mph soonest toward Ben Hope. Turning northwesterly but remaining 40-50mph onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for increasingly arduous conditions through the day with significant buffeting and wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy rain or upper slopes snow
Patches of rain and snow increasingly developing, becoming frequent or persistent in western areas. Level to which snow falls tending to vary between 700 and 900m. By evening, snow lowering again, becoming frequent showery snow and hail to lower slopes into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest western hills
Soon after dawn, if not before, low cloud becoming extensive across the hills above 600 to 800m, patches forming to some lower slopes toward west coast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, some brightness east. Becoming hazier, with poor visibility in precipitation.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C, lifting to 0 or 1C, will then drop to -4C into night. Feeling like -10 to -15C in the strongest winds during day.
Freezing Level
300-600m, plus frost in glens mostly toward the Great Glen from dawn; lifting to 800-1000m, then into night dropping to 400-500m.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 1st January 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northwesterly 35 to 50mph, squally gusts in showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Frequent buffeting, walking often arduous on higher terrain. Significant wind chill, severe higher up.
How Wet?
Frequent snow and hail
A succession of showers moving inland from coasts in west and north, merging to feel near-constant for periods, falling as snow and hail to lower slopes, chance isolated thunder mainly in north.
Cloud on the hills?
Often covering upper slopes
Cloud base constantly changing, but often capping higher slopes, bases 600-900m, lowest most often near coast. Brief breaks higher up mainly toward Great Glen.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, brief bursts of sun. Visibility varying, very poor in snow and cloud, intermittently very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, falling to -5C evening into night. Wind chill feeling like -15C, later -20C higher tops.
Freezing Level
400 to 600m, highest near to coast. Some inland glens near freezing all day, then into night dropping to all lower slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 2nd January 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 30 to 40mph, squally gusts in showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe wind chill over the mountains. Frequent buffeting in exposure on higher terrain.
How Wet?
Near-constant snow and hail
A succession of heavy showers coming in from the north, snow and hail falling and accumulating to sea level. Frequent whiteout over the mountains. Risk of isolated thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Often shrouding tops
Cloud base constantly changing, often capping hills above 800-900m, shafts of cloud to 600m in showers. Brief breaks to upper slopes mostly toward Great Glen.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare brief bursts of sun. Visibility often appalling due to snow falling or blowing and where also in cloud; but intermittently very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-5C. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C on tops.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen, sub-zero all day glens upward. Just above freezing up to 200-300m on slopes nearest to the coast.
Planning Outlook
Significantly cold wintry conditions into the start of January. Air temperature well below freezing on high terrain, plus low minima into many glens and valleys with sustained hard frost. Strong northerly winds later this week giving severe wind chill. Frequent and heavy snow showers moving into northern areas and running down coastal extremities with significant accumulations. Elsewhere, lots of dry and sunny weather, although occasional organised bands of snow will feed south at times in the Arctic airflow. Staying cold into next week with scope for snowfalls more widely.