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
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
Flooding
Fast-flowing rivers and streams. Some routes may be impassable due to flooding.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Monday 6th October 2025
Last updated
Sun 5th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gales widespread across mountains in Scotland and on higher tops in northern England, severe toward north and especially northwestern Highlands. Rain, drizzle and low cloud shrouding hills widely in west, better eastwards. Heavier rain later west Scotland. Marked wind chill despite mild air.
Headline for West Highlands
Gales, severe tops Ben Nevis range. Drizzly rain, wetter later.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Gusty southwesterly 45 to 55mph, up to 65mph Ben Nevis group and coastal tops near Mull, strongest speeds early and late. Powerful downslope gusts. Speeds tending to rise slightly further through dusk into the night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions over higher terrain all day, challenging walking in places even at mid-elevations in Lochaber and out to Mull - stability may only be possible in a crouched position due to gusts.
How Wet?
Drizzle, increasingly rain, heavier later
Drizzly most of the day, some steadier rain at times around higher mountains and the west coast, increasingly persistent, then heavier rain setting in from the west late afternoon. Very wet ground and rocks; streams in spate, some flooding.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Blanket fog across the mountains, with banks down to coastal cliffs on the west coast. Higher bases well inland towards central highlands but unlikely breaking above 700m. Highest of breaks toward Creag Meagaidh at times above 800m.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Less than 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
No sunshine expected. Very poor visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 to 11C, warmest around the southern islands and well-inland. Feeling below freezing in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 7th October 2025
Last updated
Sun 5th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwest then westerly, gusty 40-50mph early, perhaps all morning; tending to ease to 25mph. May increase again by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Buffeting and difficult walking in morning, likely improving with time, but still expect blustery conditions on high terrain.
How Wet?
Rain sometimes heavy, slowly clears
Rain persistent in the morning, heavy at times. Rain tending to fade and break up from the northwest during the afternoon. May not clear until late for Loch Lomond to Arran.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, rising during day
Shrouding the mountains widely, to lower elevations nearer to coasts during rain. Cloud base rising if rain eases, soonest in Lochaber, breaks toward upper slopes inland, but often still capping higher tops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, poor visibility in rain. Some improvement, late glimpses of sun emerging, staying quite hazy.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C from before dawn, then dropping into daytime to 4 or 5C. Directly in the wind feeling near -5C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits, but dropping close to Ben Nevis top during the day.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 8th October 2025
Last updated
Sun 5th Oct 25 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly 25 to 35mph, likely strongest into the afternoon and across Lochaber, may reach 50mph Ben Nevis.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, challenging balance on ridges, increasingly arduous walking on some high terrain. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle, mostly Lochaber
Light showery rain in the morning, most frequent Lochaber to Mull, here merging into more persistent rain and drizzle with time. Smaller amounts reaching well inland and southern hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Increasingly extensive, lowering
Covering higher mountains throughout the day, highest bases in the morning, some breaks above 900m inland, but lowering to become extensive with time. Filling in to increasingly lower slopes in coastal areas and islands.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% dropping below 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun in morning, mainly inland. Visibility starts good, but some haze, becoming widely poor in most areas.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C rising during day to 6C. Feeling like -5C in the wind, later -10C higher tops.
Freezing Level
Near freezing point on highest summits in Ben Nevis group in morning, then rising.
Planning Outlook
West-southwesterlies prevail - wet over western mountains early this week, particularly Scotland. Fast-flowing streams and further flooding expected. Dropping cooler on Tuesday-Wednesday, prepare for considerable chill factor in the stronger winds over Scottish mountains. Pressure is due to gradually rise from the south in the second half of the week, rain fading out and winds dropping lighter across many places to leave a more optimistic outlook into the weekend for most places - northwest Scotland may keep a prevailing westerly with more cloud and a stronger wind.