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 25th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Windy early, gale-force gusts in Scotland with significant wind chill. Morning rain in Scotland slips south into north England by midday, patchy sun breaks out in Scotland. Morning sun in Wales, rain reaching here through afternoon from north. Most rain on western hill groups where cloud will become extensive.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Morning rain and gales; wind eases, sun breaks afternoon
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to northwesterly, 45 to 50mph with stronger gusts at dawn approaching 60mph. Easing to 25-35mph afternoon, staying strongest in the north, later to 15-25mph later on and around Skye.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions at dawn, powerful buffeting gusts knocking you off balance and significant wind chill. A gradual easing, to fairly small effects in the south.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain and showers, trending drier
Persistent rain from overnight, heavy on western hills, tending to ease as morning goes, breaking up into drizzly showers, these fading out. Occasional light patchy rain returns later, mostly just west coast hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, rising, breaks forming inland
Shrouding hills fairly widely from low elevations upward early morning. Base tending to rise, but likely to persist western areas above 600-700m, mostly 800m inland. A rising chance of local breaks above inland tops afternoon, then cloud returning from the west late in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%, rising to 50% inland tops afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, poor visibility early in day, staying misty over hills in west. Decent sunny breaks inland afternoon, better visibility where dry below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 9C, mildest south where locally rising to 10C. Feeling below freezing directly in the wind early in the day, locally to -5C north coastal areas.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 26th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-northwesterly 10-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small.
How Wet?
Often raining, easing
Rain onto west coast hills through the day, clusters regularly push east with showery outbreaks more widely afternoon, some heavy bursts, notably Ben Wyvis/Easter Ross. An easing tendency later.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, high tops rarely clear if at all
Fairly extensive early, bases to 500-700m lowest west, or lower along the coast. A lifting trend, some breaks forming, but bases return to 700-800m during showers, or lower if heavier showers occur in the east. A breaking trend from north later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun break out later. Varied visibility, often poor but very good where out of cloud/rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C, rising up to 9C southern inland areas. Little or no rise northern coastal hills.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 27th July 2026
Last updated
Fri 24th Jul 26 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15-30mph, trending towards higher speeds, up to 35-40mph high tops late in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking increasingly strenuous, stability becoming challenged in exposure with notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain sets in
Patchy rain and high terrain drizzle in the morning, some dry windows, then rain increasingly setting in from the southwest through afternoon. Northern areas may stay on the drier side until later. Sustained heavier falls Skye.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive
Varied cloud above 700-800m in the morning, best of breaks near and north of Ben Wyvis. Cloud fills in from the southwest, terrain above 700m likely widely shrouded by later afternoon, with lower banks coming and going, particularly west coast.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sun through morning, very good visibility; increasingly overcast from southwest, dull along the coast with visibility deteriorating.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C rising to 10C, staying lifted into night, perhaps a degree warmer south. Feeling like -2 to -4C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
West-northwesterly winds prevail this weekend and early next week, transitioning to southwesterly through mid-to-late week, bringing spells of rain, drizzle and some showery falls; low cloud persistent across hills, particularly in the west. Lower wind speeds for Scotland on Sunday, staying quite breezy England and Wales. Rather cool this weekend and Monday, single-figures Celsius on high terrain. More prolonged heavier rain possible for western Scotland Monday-Tuesday. More humid and warm into mid and late week, especially England & Wales which could become hot later in the week. More uncertainty later in the week as a slow-moving area of low pressure is nearby, but risk areas of heavy rain and showers into next weekend as well.