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.
Monday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of cloud.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Hazy, some fog banks
Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of cloud.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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
Monday 2nd February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong and gusty east-southeasterlies, gale-force in places, speeds generally increasing over England & Wales with time. Snow frequent or persistent for eastern Scottish hills, rain lower ground; whiteout over higher areas with blanket cloud. Largely dry west coasts with higher and more broken cloud.
Headline for West Highlands
Increasing wind. Snow flurries, drier and higher cloud west.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 25-30mph, gusty and tending to strengthen widely to 35-40mph, gusts toward 50mph during afternoon southern areas, or by dusk in Lochaber; little change then into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small at first, deteriorating, becoming strenuous-to-arduous with significant wind chill, soonest toward south. Gusts increasingly knocking you off balance.
How Wet?
Precipitation mostly inland and south, snow tops
Patchy rain, or increasingly snow flurries above 700m, focused on inland areas south and east of Rannoch Moor, becoming more persistent with time. Very little reaching coast and west Lochaber.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly south and inland higher areas
Cloud often covers most high terrain from Loch Lomond to Creag Meagaidh above 800 to 1000m, bases to mid-slopes during precipitation, also often shrouding tops on southern island hills. Well broken west of Loch Linnhe, some clear summits, but varied banks drifting westwards with time.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% inland, to 50% western Lochaber.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Regularly sunny west coast near Mull, some lower western inland slopes too. Very good visibility out of precipitation, but rapidly turning poor during snow/sleet.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1C. Coast and island tops up to 0 or +1C. Feeling like -10 to -13C in the wind, later -15C.
Freezing Level
800 to 1000m, highest toward the coast, tending to lower inland later in daytime, toward 600m by dusk Creag Meagaidh and areas near/east of Rannoch Moor.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 40 to 55mph, very gusty in places around higher mountains and downslope west of high terrain.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, more difficult in places, frequent buffeting affecting balance; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow mostly well inland
Snow most frequent in areas south and east from Rannoch Moor. Patchy flurries extend west, light rain spots below 500m, but often dry much of west coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, breaks west
Often covering inland mountains above 800 to 1000m, banks of cloud drifting westwards, but more broken toward coast, best west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mostly toward coast, where visibility mostly good. Some haze toward south. Very poor visibility in snow and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C well inland, to -1C coast and islands. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -18C.
Freezing Level
500m well inland, to 600-700m further west, or locally varied higher up nearest coast and on the islands.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 4th February 2026
Last updated
Sun 1st Feb 26 at
4:26PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 30 to 50mph, very gusty for a time. Tending to lessen and turn south-southeasterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions with frequent buffeting gusts and significant wind chill; gradually improving from south.
How Wet?
Snow or sleet inland and south
Snow most frequent central highlands south of Rannoch Moor. Sleet southern areas from Arran to Loch Lomond, with time may turn to rain increasingly higher up. Patchier or very little west Lochaber.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive tops, breaks west
Cloud covering most higher mountains, most persistent above 800 to 1000m inland and southern areas, locally lower Loch Lomond to Clyde and Arran. Higher bases and some breaks west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, dull and misty central highlands, whiteout if in fog and snow. Brighter westward, local glimpses of sun and good visibility below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C inland, up to -1C near coast, rising slightly during day. Wind chill feeling like -12 to -17C.
Freezing Level
500 to 700m, locally higher near coast and on islands. Onward into evening likely to rise variably higher up.
Planning Outlook
Easterly winds prevail this week, strong to gale force over many hills for sustained periods. Freezing levels will vary, but in the Highlands rarely above 800m away from the west coast, at times sub-zero from 400-500m upward. In England and Wales only occasionally dropping below 600m, and at times just above freezing to high tops. Further snow focused on eastern Scottish mountains, with additional accumulations and drifting; very little further west. Some periods of hill snow for England and Wales during midweek. Cold easterly patterns are expected to continue onward into mid February, though higher pressure to the north may see reduced precipitation amounts, always driest with highest cloud in west.