West Highlands
Western Highlands accessible from, and south of, Glenfinnan (Road to the Isles) and Glen Spean (includes Creag Meagaidh). This area includes Ben Nevis and the mountains around Glencoe. In the east, from Ben Alder south to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP. Also Arran and Mull.
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
West 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 West Highlands
Blustery and gusty; fog and drizzle, mostly west
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly, 25 to 35mph, very gusty in places around exposed high tops and ridges, some gusts to the south perhaps with variable direction.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery over high terrain, affecting comfortable walking and balance on some exposed ridges with considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain
Drizzly much of the day on high terrain, most persistent westwards, some steadier light rain at times too. Combined with some snow melt, rock surfaces will be very slippery. Smaller amounts of occasional drizzle well inland. An easing trend is probable, though spotty rain may continue in the south.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, lowest toward coast
Blanket low cloud across the mountains, from lower elevations upward near to coast and islands in the morning. Tending to rise a little during day, but likely to shroud hills all day above 600-800m, highest inland, a few higher breaks forming afternoon but unlikely to break above 1000-1100m for any extended period.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Cloudy and misty, some brighter moments may emerge mainly well inland, where visibility good if below cloud, but generally poor over the hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4 or 5C. Feeling like -5C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above freezing up to all summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 1st April 2026
Last updated
Mon 30th Mar 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 35 to 50mph, stronger gusts for a time; later, sudden switch to northerly 20-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions with buffeting gusts in exposure around high tops, may lessen later. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain turns heavy, then to snow later
Rain and drizzle most persistent Lochaber early in day, gradually becoming more widespread, risk widely heavy for a time, turning to snow on high terrain, possibly to lowering elevations in Lochaber.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding the mountains likely all day, base may vary at 500-800m, lowest over western mountains during constant precipitation.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Below 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, poor visibility in rain, becoming very poor if in snow and cloud on tops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C at dawn, tending to drop, to 0C during day, later -2C Lochaber/Loch Lochy. Feeling like -10C in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Above all summits for several hours at least, then dropping onto high tops, later possibly more rapidly to 600m Lochaber.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 2nd April 2026
Last updated
Mon 30th Mar 26 at
3:50PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 15mph or less morning, turning southerly and strengthening, to 20-35mph late, strongest coastal hills.
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 coastal hills, 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?
Mostly higher terrain
Patchy cloud at several heights at dawn, soon lifting and dissipating from many hills. For a time, cloud likely confined just to the high summits, some breaks likely. Afternoon into evening brings rising risk of a layer of cloud forming on high coastal terrain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Busts of sunshine, 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; 500-600m, 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.