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.
Today's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be 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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 5th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 4th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold northerlies continue; significant chill factor over mountains, though speeds less than recent days. All terrain frozen; snow cover widely in Highlands, substantial in north, further showers of snow and hail. Showers continue to feed into N/W Wales. Largely dry with sun and broken cloud N England/S Scotland.
Headline for West Highlands
Cold brisk wind, snow showers north, sunnier south.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Northerly 25-30mph, strongest early morning, some squally gusts all day in showers, shifting northwesterly with time, easing a little inland afternoon, but then tending to increase to 35mph into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill, severe on high exposed tops where walking conditions will be strenuous with buffeting at times.
How Wet?
Snow showers coasts and Lochaber
Occasional snow showers mostly north Lochaber over Creag Meagaidh/Ben Nevis ranges. Some showers reaching Mull and Islay as well. Extensive snow cover on ground in north. Largely dry Glencoe and southward. Then well into night, persistent snow (or rain to mid-slopes near coast & on islands) moves in from west.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, often covering northern and coastal tops; clearer south
Varying cloud bases Lochaber and coasts, 700-800m, locally lower in showers. Also often capping tops inland Lochaber above 800-1000m. Well broken or often clear south of Glencoe to Loch Lomond NP/Clyde Sea Lochs.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40% Lochaber/coasts, to 70% south.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, often sunny Loch Lomond. Visibility excellent away from showers, but in places risk very poor where snow falls or blows around.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-5 or -6C; -8C above 1200m. Wind chill feeling like -17C, to 22C on higher tops, particularly morning.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen; at dawn near -10C some inland glens. Nearest the coast, partial thawing in sunlight to 200-300m, rising slightly further after dark.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 6th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 4th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Changeable: west-southwesterly 20-30mph, rising with time, up to 40mph over summits, shifting northerly later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Variable conditions, walking increasingly strenuous in exposure with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy sleet/snow, setting in later
Bands of patchy snow pass eastward, increasingly as sleet/rain to middle slopes near the coast. A broader area of snow arrives afternoon, setting in heavy for several hours inland.
Cloud on the hills?
Becoming extensive
Cloud shrouds the mountains above 800-900m most or all day, variable bases down to 600m during pulses of snow but a few local higher breaks for a time. Filling in more widely to middle or lower slopes with time, first in the north.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine unlikely. Moments of very good visibility early, though increasingly appalling as snow sets in with whiteout conditions.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 to -3C, some variability, warmest near the coast; trending colder overnight. Feeling as cold as -15C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen from overnight, lifting but variable; up to 800m along coasts, unlikely above 300-400m well inland.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 7th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 4th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15 to 30mph, speed likely to vary during day, a lull may develop, then risk increasing south-southwesterly later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but be prepared for marked wind chill on exposed high terrain, risk more blustery in places at times.
How Wet?
Risk snow/rain arrives from west
Rare flurries at first, but largely dry for several hours, but then a risk of more persistent snow developing, moving in from west, near coast turning to rain to mid heights, or above on islands.
Cloud on the hills?
Patchy cloud, risk lowering west
Varied cloud banks in the morning, mainly higher slopes, but some lower mist around glens and mid-slopes inland for a time. If precipitation develops, more extensive cloud lowering over hills.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
High cloud may largely cover the sky, some early brightness, overcast skies becoming duller. Visibility very good whilst dry, risk very poor if snow develops.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, lifting to -1C near west coast, then nearer 0C all areas after dark. Feeling around -10C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
Near/below freezing glens upward inland; 500m coast & islands. Tending to rise after dark, but much terrain inland stays frozen.
Planning Outlook
Freezing conditions widely over the mountains all this week - some changes toward the weekend as Atlantic lows try to circulate further northwards, bringing some variable thawing mainly to England and particularly Wales, whilst Scottish mountains may see brief if any periods of above-freezing conditions even onward into mid-month. Complex weather systems later this week, with potentially a deep low moving across southern Britain by Thursday-early Friday which may bring some snowfalls to Wales and the southern Pennines, accompanied by possibly severe gales. More variable wind speeds for Scotland, trending westerly; some lulls but interspersed with gales. Further accumulating upland snow, mixed with some lowland rain.