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.)
Friday'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.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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
Friday 3rd July 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Jul 26 at
3:56PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Early hill cloud in Wales and central/east parts England and Scotland lifts and breaks for sun through high cloud. Warm for most, mild Scottish Highlands but feeling chilly in wind. Hill cloud and patchy rain west highlands, setting in into night. Some patchy cloud lingers near tops of Eryri/Snowdonia and Lakeland.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Cloud and spotty rain, mostly west; strong wind north
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 30 to 40mph, some variability, occasionally lower speeds south, but gusting 50mph over the high tops to the north too.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting comfortable walking, at times more strenuous on exposed terrain with balance challenges in exposure, notably north where walking more arduous. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Generally damp in west, some patchy light rain
Drizzly over western tops, some light patchy rain drifting from the west, occasionally steadier for periods on and near Skye, but amounting to little. Eastern hills may be largely dry. Rock surfaces slippery even if only small amounts of rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, lowest west
Covering many hills much of the day, lowest bases over west coastal areas, sometimes to 600m, to 400m or lower Cuillin/Torridon. Rising to above 800-900m inland, best chance breaks to summits Ben Wyvis to east of Ullapool.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% west, to 40% east
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mostly eastern glens, though weakened by high cloud. Some haze below cloud in west, better visibility inland, good toward east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
6 or 7C, rising only slightly inland and east, locally 9C easternmost hills. Feeling like 0 to -5C directly in the wind, perhaps to -8C over Ben Hope.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 4th July 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Jul 26 at
3:56PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, 30 to 40mph, strongest sustained speeds south with gusts approaching 50mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking, powerful gusts constantly challenging balance with considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain most of the day, heavy spells
Damp all day, drizzle and some more persistent rain particularly western mountains. Patchier eastwards but a persistent drizzle on high tops. Rock surfaces remain very slippery.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest west
Blanket cloud across the hills, shrouded to lower slopes on and around Skye, to 400m further north. Higher and more broken cloud further east, and may improve slightly, but any breaks above 800m unlikely.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy and misty west coastal hills. At times better visibility lower east slopes.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, slight cooling with time. Feeling near or below 0C where directly in wind, coldest in morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 5th July 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Jul 26 at
3:56PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20-25mph. Always lightest north, perhaps as low as 10mph early in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
May well be fairly small in the morning, but ease of walking becomes impeded at least on southern Munros.
How Wet?
Often raining
Patchy rain drifts from the west all day, frequent near and south of Ullapool, setting in with time on and around Skye. Patchier north, some drier windows, but increasingly wet here too.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Cloud shrouds the hills from middle slopes up most or all day. Bases always lowest towards west coast, ragged patches into glens around rain. Some variability to the north and east, but breaks above 700m unlikely.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely overcast and dull, may be brighter in the far north early in the day. Poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, coolest north, perhaps 6C Ben Hope.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Westerlies prevail across northern Britain. Rain, drizzle and low cloud over western hills from Lake District northward through the weekend. Temperatures near average, but feeling cool in exposure to wind on tops, which could regularly be quite strong and gusty. Generally drier northeast areas with higher cloud bases but patchy rain and drizzle reach here too. Higher pressure south maintains drier conditions in Wales and the south Pennines but cloud and some drizzle will affect high western slopes from time to time. A drier and warmer window looks probable from middle next week as high pressure builds. Very warm temperatures for England and Wales, spells of sunshine more widely. Some showers and patchy rain are likely to continue through late week and next weekend, though detail is uncertain.