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.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
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
West Highlands
Thursday 1st October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Showery outbreaks in Wales and west Scotland, early hill cloud tends to lift with breaks. Showers well-scattered elsewhere, early hill cloud largely clears. Showers lessen widely, often sunny though some haze. Mild temperatures, warm valleys afternoon; west Scotland starts cool, feeling chilly in a blustery wind.
Headline for West Highlands
Showers mostly Lochaber, breezy too; generally easing
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20-30mph, strongest west of Loch Linnhe, occasionally 35mph over high tops here. Will vary, perhaps to below 20mph Ben Lomond to Rannoch Moor. Will strengthen overnight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small in places, but blustery over the highest tops, particularly Lochaber, some buffeting in gusts and notable wind chill. Conditions deteriorate overnight.
How Wet?
Showers
Showers push onto mountains west of Loch Linnhe most of the day, some extended falls late morning/midday. Well-scattered elsewhere, but afternoon brings an increased risk of showery outbreaks more widely.
Cloud on the hills?
Breaking towards most tops, sometimes above
Most tops start shrouded, broader banks above 800-900m south and west near coasts, lower patches where sheltered, particularly Mull and north. Bases lift and break up somewhat, many inland summits seeing breaks. High tops Mull and north see fewer breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%, rising to 60% away from Lochaber
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, extended sunny windows breaking out, a little high cloud arriving later. Very good visibility, a haze offshore of Lochaber.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C to start, rising a degree, locally 7C on sunny slopes inland. Feeling below 0C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 2nd October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25-35mph, sometimes quite gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in exposure all day with a chilly feeling, some more strenuous moments in buffeting gusts and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Rain most of the day
Showery rain much of the day, several periods of persistent heavy falls, highest rainfall totals near and north of Mull.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, local variability
Terrain above 700-900m likely in cloud all day, best of any breaks Rannoch Moor towards Creag Meagaidh during lulls in rain. Otherwise, cloud bases to 600m, usually lower towards west coast, ragged patches into glens/forest canopies.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few odd brighter glimpses, more often overcast, dull towards the coast. Mostly poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 to 7C, rising to 8C southernmost hills. Feeling like 0 to -3C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Last updated
Wed 30th Sep 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 20-30mph, shifting southwesterly, rising to 45mph high tops by evening, further strengthening overnight.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in exposure all day with notable wind chill, deteriorating to challenging conditions evening into night.
How Wet?
Showery rain
Spots of rain drift from the west from morning, a few bursts of more frequent rain, and perhaps a few hours of sustained falls north of Mull, heavy for a time. May set in more widely into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive over tops, variably lower
Terrain above 1000m shrouded most of the day, more often to 800-900m Glencoe and north, lowering further in showers. Some higher breaks south, but also filling in widely on high terrain during rain here. Into night, may become more broadly extensive.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun. Varied visibility, good inland below cloud, hazy Lochaber.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C, rising a degree well inland. Feeling as cold as -5 to -8C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
May just touch the summit of Ben Nevis at dawn, soon lifting above.
Planning Outlook
Friday starts the weekend with windy and damp weather, rain quite frequent with extensive cloud for some. On Saturday, higher pressure expands from the south, gradually settling the weather in England and Wales. Scotland remains breezy with cloud and showers, mostly impacting western regions. The following week remains mixed: high pressure to the south and west bringing some windows of brighter, drier weather primarily to England and Wales, but active low pressure systems will break through as well for spells of widespread wind, sometimes gale force, and bands of rain followed by showers. Precise timing of settled versus unsettled weather is currently uncertain. Temperatures variably mild to cool, beginning to reach freezing on Scottish summits, or lower down on clear nights.