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
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Saturday 1st August 2026
Last updated
Fri 31st Jul 26 at
2:18PM
Summary for all mountain areas
England and Wales extensively dry with periods of sun and particularly Wales fairly light wind. Increasingly showery northwards across Scotland, although mostly confined to afternoon eastern mountains. Fairly chilly, particularly morning.
Headline for The Northwest Highlands
Chilly and showery.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 20-25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small.
How Wet?
Showers, becoming well scattered by evening
Showers from time to time, some briefly heavy, although becoming few and far between from mid or late afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive toward coast, base rising well inland - higher tops may not clear
Extensive above 500-700m in the morning, lowest toward west coast. A lifting trend, particularly well inland, where breaks above 900m increasingly by midday. Nevertheless cloud base dropping again near showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%; rising to 50% eastern summits
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, best south and east. Varied visibility, very good where out of cloud and rain; a west coastal haze builds later.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, rising a degree or two well inland. Will feel close to or below freezing point directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Sunday 2nd August 2026
Last updated
Fri 31st Jul 26 at
2:18PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15 to 25mph after dawn. Will soon drop to 10mph near Skye and then progressively northwards across region.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small before becoming negligible from south.
How Wet?
Showers all or nearly all dying out
Starting showery, particularly more western mountains. Showers will become few or isolated from the south middle of day and afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Becoming confined to higher slopes, later may well almost all clear
Progressively improving as extensive cloud above 700m toward the coast and more patchy above 900m toward the east gradually rises. By mid afternoon, perhaps still patches above about 900m western hills; otherwise mostly cloud free.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% gradually rising to 80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patches of sun morning, mostly well inland from west coast. Gradually becoming more sunny from east across there region - although later the sun hazy. Very good or excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 8 to 11C, warmest toward Ben Wyvis. Feeling close to or below freezing point directly in wind in morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
The Northwest Highlands
Monday 3rd August 2026
Last updated
Fri 31st Jul 26 at
2:18PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 10mph; tending to strengthen from south toward 20 or 25mph; very gusty in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small, but particularly near Skye, sudden gusts (sometimes on lower slopes) may make balance tricky.
How Wet?
Increasing threat of rain
Low confidence - timing of changes very uncertain: As cloud thickens from south, rain may spread northwards, possibly becoming constant.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Most, possibly all summits cloud free most, perhaps all day. But in rain, particularly on more eastern hills, fog may gradually shroud some higher slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Little or no bright sunshine - although there may be some weak sunshine through thin high cloud. Excellent or superb visibility, but dropping markedly in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8C
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Still a few showers W & NW Highlands on Sunday, and threat of some rain by dusk western mountains. The rain will be ahead of a very complicated weather pattern early next week; areas of rain will drift slowly across central and mainly northern Britain, but the distribution of rain (and associated low cloud) remains very uncertain. Despite some recent rain (mainly in Scotland), away from the W & NW Highlands terrain remains exceptionally dry: 'tinder dry'.