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.)
Saturday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
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
Saturday 5th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Brisk and chilly westerly winds in the morning, starting gale-force on high tops in Scotland, but lowering speeds. A little light rain, brief showers mainly western Scotland with varied cloud on tops. Often dry with cloud breaks to tops for eastern Highlands, England and Wales, some sun and hazy high cloud.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Early gales lessen, showers west then locally drizzly.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 40 to 50mph at dawn, strongest toward north, easing during morning to 25mph, but northern areas may stay 35mph until early afternoon. Turning southwesterly afternoon 20-25mph through to dusk. Rising into night to 50-60mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions widely at first, frequent buffeting and considerable wind chill, for longest on northern tops, moderating with time, mostly fairly small afternoon and evening. Deteriorating significantly into night.
How Wet?
A few showers in morning west, some drizzly rain locally afternoon
Showery rain over western mountains in the morning, rare and brief further east. Fading to be drier for periods, but during afternoon risk an area of locally frequent drizzle and mostly light rain on Skye and coastal hills, moving north; small amounts well inland. Into night, steadier rain develops from southwest, some heavy in west.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to higher tops, varying over western hills
Cloud banks drift over western hills above 700-800m in the morning, higher and well broken eastwards. Base rising mostly above 900m by middle of day, but patches come and go into afternoon in west, lowering for a time over Skye and nearby if rain occurs again.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun mostly eastern areas, fairly cloudy west. Visibility very good inland, slight coastal haze in west.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 7C afternoon, little change or rising a degree or so higher into night. Feeling like -7C in the wind early in day, near 0C in afternoon.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 6th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South to southwesterly 50 to 70mph, strongest Skye; powerful gusts in passes and some downslopes to the north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions on exposed terrain walking and balance difficult in places. Feeling cool in exposure despite mild air.
How Wet?
Rain most of day
Rain rarely ceasing over western mountains around Skye and Torridon. Smaller amounts north and eastward, but often raining or drizzly. Streams in spate.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive west, varied north
Blanket low cloud across many mountains in the west, particularly Skye, to lower slopes in rain; higher bases inland and northeastwards, local breaks to tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little or no sun. Hazy at best, poor visibility in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10 to 12C, humid all day, rising on some slopes to 14C; cooling into night. Feeling near to 0C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 7th September 2026
Last updated
Fri 4th Sep 26 at
4:17PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 50 to 70mph, generally strongest over west coastal mountains, but speeds likely to rise widely during day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions with buffeting from lower elevations upward. Any mobility very challenging high up. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Frequent to prolonged heavy rain west
Showery rain merging into constant falls of heavy rain, particularly western hills Skye to Wester Ross. Chance of thunder. Very wet underfoot and streams in spate.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent west coast hills
Often capping higher western areas, bases varying around rain, but rarely above 800m on coastal slopes up to Wester Ross, at times 600m. Higher breaks further inland and eastwards, briefly above tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rare brief sun mainly east. Hazy particularly west, visibility widely poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, little change all day. Feeling like -7 to -10C in the wind on tops.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled onward into next week with spells of rain and showers moving in from the Atlantic, accompanied by frequently strong to gale force mountain winds. Temperatures will vary, mildest toward the south, but cooler air moves in from the north at times bringing higher Scottish tops occasionally close to freezing point. Indications favour improving weather patterns during mid-month as high pressure builds from the south.