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.)
The Northwest Highlands
Friday 14th May 2021
Last updated
Thu 13th May 21 at
4:29PM
Generally very light winds. Localised heavy showers will form and move around slowly, most widespread in Wales. Risk of thunder. Fairly cloudy; persistently shrouding some hills, but also some breaks. Close to freezing point on Scottish high tops, coldest north & east.
Mostly light wind. Localised heavy showers. Chilly start.
Northeasterly 15-20mph around Ben Hope, mostly 10mph or less elsewhere, often little wind near Skye.
Mostly negligible
Local slow-moving showers west
Isolated hail or snow flurries on higher slopes from dawn. By late morning, localised heavy showers forming with hail. May form into a cluster lasting an hour or more during afternoon, focused on Wester Ross just inland from coast, also locally on Skye.
Frequently clearing western summits
Cloud intermittently on higher slopes for a few hours, but by late morning higher summits rarely covered. Patches developing where showers form. Near the summit of Ben Wyvis and in N & E Sutherland, banks of low cloud may persist for several hours, particularly hills nearest North Sea coasts.
80% west, to 50% easternmost tops.
Bright sunshine in and out. Superb visibility - but abruptly poor in precipitation.
0C rising to 3 to 7C, warmest western mountains south of Ullapool in afternoon.
900m at first with frost sheltered areas and glens at dawn. Will lift above the summits by late morning.
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 15th May 2021
Last updated
Thu 13th May 21 at
4:29PM
Direction varied 10mph or less.
Negligible
Showers: mostly hail flurries
A few brief hail flurries mainly late morning onwards. Risk of heavier slowly moving showers near Skye afternoon onwards.
Very little
Summits extensively cloud free, particularly from mid morning - possibly banks of very low cloud far north, which may break up only slowly during morning. Locally near precipitation cloud forming on the hills, mostly above 600m, but here and there pockets on lower slopes.
70%
Bright sunshine from time to time, mainly morning toward the coast. Superb visibility although poor in precipitation.
Near or just above freezing point after dawn; reaching 7C in the afternoon.
Lifting above the summits during the morning - after patches of frost from valleys up.
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 16th May 2021
Last updated
Thu 13th May 21 at
4:29PM
East to southeasterly, mostly 10-15mph or less.
Small
Localised downpours
Showers forming by late morning onward, most focused on inland areas in Wester Ross and toward the Great Glen, some slow-moving heavy bursts with hail. Very isolated elsewhere.
Mostly around showers
Varied banks of cloud across the mountains. Around rain, patches will form to lower slopes, and extensively on higher terrain for an hour or more. Otherwise, some breaks to higher tops, best in west.
60%
Occasional sun, most frequent near west coast. Visibility very good, but reduced locally around showers.
3C rising toward 7C
Above the summits
Low pressure will continue to dominate the weather pattern into next week. Little change to recent patterns, with areas of slow-moving showers and thunderstorms with hail, typically most widespread in the afternoons. As the remnants of fronts circulate slowly across Britain, the intensity and extent of showers will vary from day to day, in places merging to give a few hours of constant rain, but nearby escaping drier. Winds often very light, sometimes strengthening locally. Temperatures around average for mid-May, but at times just below freezing on highest Scottish summits, resulting in occasional snow here. Existing lying snow thawing only gradually on the highest tops.