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.)
Monday'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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Monday 12th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Extensive low cloud blankets the mountains, poor visibility widely; generally damp with drizzle and some steadier rain. Best chance for drier conditions and local higher cloud breaks to the north of major hill groups. Wind speeds will vary, but often blustery around tops. Fairly mild southerly air.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Murky and damp, locally better north; varied wind.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly, speed varying, 25 to 40mph, strongest around Skye early in day, then slightly less for a few hours. Speeds rising again during afternoon to 40-50mph, into evening 60mph+ western mountains with powerful gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Often blustery around higher exposed terrain in the west, but variable moments of lower impacts on some slopes, more often inland. Deteriorating to more difficult conditions later in day, then rapidly severe from dusk.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, locally drier north; wetter later western hills
Rain and drizzle soon fairly widespread from dawn, most persistent Skye and Torridon area, patchier elsewhere. Some drier periods inland and north, but often damp near Skye. During afternoon rain sets in steadier in west, more extensive rain into evening-night, some heavier falls Skye to Wester Ross.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, local breaks north/east
Shrouding many hills all day, from low-mid elevations upward from Skye to coastal Wester Ross, cloud base nearer 700-800m inland. Higher cloud bases northward - some north/eastern hills initially clearer around dawn and breaks forming again here to upper slopes in afternoon away from rain. Blanketing hills widely again later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Almost nil Skye and west; 20% north/east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Generally overcast, murky west, some brighter moments develop toward north and perhaps more widely over an hour or so, visibility then good out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 to 10C, some warmer spots toward the north out of cloud; slightly warmer into night. Increasingly humid. Feeling below freezing if in stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 13th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, overnight gales ease for a brief early lull to 25mph or less, but rise again during day to 40-50mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
A window of fairly small effects in morning, but beware of deteriorating again quickly during the day to become challenging.
How Wet?
Heavy showers set in again west
Heavy overnight rain sweeps away eastward by dawn, but leaves a legacy of showers. Bursts of rain cluster to become frequent or more constant again in west, with hail, chance of thunder.
Cloud on the hills?
Changing rapidly, extensive in rain
Varied cloud banks from dawn, but for a few hours may break well toward upper slopes especially inland and east. Often capping western tops, but in showers then varying, lowering and filling in widely.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Intermittent sun for a few hours mainly inland and east, but then often cloudier. Visibility at times very good where dry, but then suddenly poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Mild 10C overnight but dropping to 6C by dawn, lowering further during day to 3C. Feeling later like -10C as wind increases.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but dropping close to highest tops later in day.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 14th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 11th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly, in range 50 to 80mph, notable increase with height; sustained speeds rising during daytime.
Effect of the wind on you?
Frequent buffeting even on lower hills, but severe conditions on high terrain, mobility difficult; powerful downslope gusts.
How Wet?
Often raining west, heavier later
Raining much of the day on western mountains around Skye and Wester Ross, sometimes only lighter spots; drier further north and east. Later a belt of heavier and more widespread rain arrives from west.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent western hills
Banks of cloud shrouding west coastal areas above 600-800m fairly persistently. Further north and east the cloud base higher, clinging to many high tops, but some breaks at times.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun mainly eastern areas where visibility fairly good, but a general haze, poorer visibility west coast.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 8C. Feeling like -7 to -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
A very unsettled Atlantic pattern this week. Southwesterly gales strengthen to become severe on the mountains into Wednesday, moderating into Thursday. Frequently raining particularly over western hills, some bands of more extensive heavier rain passing eastwards through midweek. Milder early in the week, then cooler later, with showery conditions by Thursday into Friday on westerly winds - Scottish high summits may drop back close to freezing with some snow falling on higher tops. Indications start to favour higher pressure building into next weekend and early next week for a period of quieter weather and scope for inversion conditions on high terrain.