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.)
Tuesday'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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Tuesday 31st March 2026
Last updated
Mon 30th Mar 26 at
3:50PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A foggy, drizzly start for most, fog to lower slopes in western coastal areas. Fog lifts with time and drizzly rain eases, bursts of sun breaking out east, and perhaps more widely afternoon. Fog and drizzle lingers longest west Scotland and south Pennines. Blustery early, easing for most; a mild feel in England and Wales.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Windy, particularly north; fog and drizzle, mostly west
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30 to 40mph, very gusty in places around exposed high tops and ridges. Strongest wind Ullapool and north, speeds approaching 50mph here later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Very blustery in exposure, making balance difficult on ridges, sudden buffeting in places with considerable wind chill. Walking most strenuous in the north, and becoming arduous or challenging with time.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain high tops and western slopes
Drizzly over western mountains and high tops well into the day, some steadier but mostly light rain at times. Combined with some snow melt, rock surfaces will be very slippery. Smaller amounts of occasional drizzle further eastwards, and tending to ease as the afternoon goes.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, lowest in west
Blanket low cloud across the mountains, from lower elevations upward near to west coast in the morning. Tending to rise a little during day, but likely to shroud many hills all day above 600-800m, local higher breaks east, best chance of summit breaks Ben Wyvis to Munros east of Ullapool, though likely only brief.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy and misty, some brighter moments may emerge mainly inland and east, where visibility good if below cloud, but generally poor over the hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C, may locally approach 6C where in sun to the north/east. Feeling like -7 to -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above freezing up to all summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Wednesday 1st April 2026
Last updated
Mon 30th Mar 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40-50mph, stronger gusts early in day; uncertain duration, but switching northerly during day 20-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous conditions for several hours at least, buffeting gusts. Effect on walking reduces, but notable chill factor.
How Wet?
Heavy rain then snow, late hail showers
Rain likely persistent over western mountains, often heavy for several hours at least, becoming increasingly snow on hills, to lowering elevations from the north. May break into showers with hail late in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, may improve
Covering the mountains widely during precipitation, from low-to-mid slopes up in west. Bases then rising variably, breaks may form higher up in the north later in the day.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Below 10%, rising to 30% northern Munros
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, dull, poor visibility in rain, very poor in snow and cloud, possible whiteout for periods. May improve in the north late in the day.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C at first, tending to drop, possibly soon to 0C in north, later -3C. Feeling like -10C in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Above summits from dawn, lowering onto high tops from north, a more rapid drop with time to 600m or lower.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Thursday 2nd April 2026
Last updated
Mon 30th Mar 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Through morning, variable easterlies, 10-15mph. Turning southerly, strengthening to 25-35mph; strongest Skye, risk 40mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small in the morning, gradually deteriorating, walking becomes strenuous in the west with notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Substantially dry
A few odd spots of snow flurries/drizzly rain on Skye, but otherwise dry well into the day. As evening approaches, an increasing risk of rain arriving from the west, snow above 600-700m.
Cloud on the hills?
Summits often clear
Some variable cloud patches at several heights from before dawn, these lifting and mostly dissipating for clear hills. Occasional cloud patches will drift over the high tops, but clear periods likely as well. Increasing risk of cloud over the Cuillin ridge afternoon into evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny, some high cloud at times weakening the sunshine. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C lifting to -1C. Feeling as cold as -10C in wind later in the day.
Freezing Level
Poorly defined early; 400-600m, frosts at lower elevations too, including glens. Rising, approaching 800m.
Planning Outlook
A drop of temperature is expected across Scotland during Wednesday as a band of rain drifts slowly southwards, turning to heavy upland snow. Atlantic weather patterns and west-southwesterly winds follow behind into the start of the Easter period at least, but day-to-day detail is uncertain. Temperature and wind will be variable, periods of gales and possibly often cold over the mountains with snow and hail showers at times to lower elevations at least in Scotland, sometimes more widely, mixed with some spells of rain - precipitation generally most frequent west and northwest, though bands of heavy rain will sweep east at times. Some windows of drier and brighter conditions, as well as milder days in England and Wales, occasionally milder Scotland too.