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
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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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.
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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.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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
Tuesday 7th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy mist in some sheltered valleys at dawn, soon dissipating for sunshine and cloud-free hills, locally hazy. Mild temperatures, including to summits, particularly Wales where summits may be several degrees warmer than mid-slopes. High cloud builds, thickest north and west, some rain northwest Scotland later.
Headline for West Highlands
Gales with powerful gusts; clear hills but high cloud building
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 30 to 50mph, locally variable but strongest Mull and Lochaber. Powerful gusts likely, not just on the higher slopes, and may more widely approach 40-55mph for a few hours, gusting 60mph coastal northwest.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions on coastal mountains all day, likely more widely challenging for several hours, though a few periods where effects less severe inland. Sudden buffeting gusts at all heights.
How Wet?
Afternoon patchy rain northwest, more into evening
Patchy rain pushing onto coastal areas in afternoon, mostly spots from high cloud, possibly an odd burst of rain forming mainly later in the day. By evening onward, more rain setting in Mull and coastal Lochaber with patches drifting east.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any much of day
Patchy mist some glens at first. The mountains generally clear much of the day, but later some cloud banks form mainly on islands and the Lochaber coast, filling in further by evening onward into night.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine early in the day, high cloud around, thickening with time, to mostly block the sun by later afternoon; Loch Lomond to Rannoch Moor longest in sunshine. Visibility very good; islands may be hazier.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 8 to 10C; will be locally variable, generally warmer northward, and little change with added height. Directly in the stronger wind, feeling below freezing, in places nearer to -5C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Possible slight frost some sheltered inland glens at dawn.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 8th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southwesterly 15-25mph, strongest Lochaber to Mull; strengthening, 30-35mph, to 45mph Lochaber later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small inland & south for many hours, but becoming more blustery, locally more gusty and challenging with time.
How Wet?
Mostly dry, patchy rain later
A little patchy rain and drizzle, but small amounts, most slopes dry. As evening approaches, patchy rain likely returns from the west, first in Lochaber. Some sleet or snow falling above 900m.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied morning, tending to lift and break
Varied cloud banks from dawn, to some lower slopes in the morning, may linger for a few hours in southern areas, tending to lift and break, including off high summits. Then later in day, likely lowering more extensively from west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy, a little weak sun, but a veil of high cloud thickens again from west late. Visibility very good, but locally misty start.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 to 7C, a slight cooling trend, 4C Lochaber into night. Later feeling like -8 to -10C in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 9th April 2026
Last updated
Mon 6th Apr 26 at
3:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
A gusty westerly 20-35mph, strongest south, 40mph or stronger over high southern tops later; a slight NW'ly shift.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking often strenuous in exposure, particularly south where more arduous with significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Morning rain followed by showers
A band of rain passes east across all areas through morning, locally heavy on the west coast, followed by showers, falling as snow to 500m, some hail mixed in too, the showers gradually easing in intensity.
Cloud on the hills?
Coming and going on high terrain
Extensive from dawn to at least middle slopes, lower in the west. As rain eases, cloud lifts and breaks to mostly above 800m, clear summits at times, but returning in showers; west coastal hills most often covered, locally to 600m in showers.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
Rising to 40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine between showers. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or 0C most of the day, may vary by a degree. Feeling like -10 to 13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Lowering from overnight, 1000m at dawn, gradually lowering further, to 700-900m, highest level southern islands.
Planning Outlook
Variable temperature in the near term: warm on Wednesday for England & Wales at least, becoming cooler over western Scotland as a cold front sweeps eastward; more widely cooler Thursday with freezing temperatures on high terrain and snow showers; milder by Friday with some sun in England and Wales, settling on near-average temperatures over the weekend. A changeable mix of weather during this period with some rain and showers with snow or hail on the hills, and often windy late week into the weekend in Scotland. More settled England and Wales but a few windy, wet spells will affect these areas too. Into the following week, first indications of high pressure building, winds shifted easterly brining some rain to eastern areas but often sunny with lighter wind and near-average temperatures.