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.
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.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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.
Clear
Excellent or superb visibility, no navigation issues.
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
Thursday 2nd April 2026
Last updated
Wed 1st Apr 26 at
4:14PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy cloud lingering on upper hills at dawn, clearing for several hours of sunshine and light wind. Wind begins strengthening from the west in Scotland, high cloud builds, with rain and snow arriving and spreading into central Scotland by evening. England and Wales stay dry, small increase in wind and high cloud later.
Headline for West Highlands
Fine start, some sun; strengthening wind, rain/snow later
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable 10mph or less early, turning southerly and strengthening from the west, reaching 30-35mph most hills, but up to 40mph coastal hills, or stronger after sunset. Becoming gusty as well.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small in the morning, gradually deteriorating, to strenuous conditions, at least, on most hills with constant balance challenges in exposure and significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain/snow from the west afternoon
Dry through morning. Through afternoon, rain arriving from the west, snow above 600-700m, spreading more widely as evening approaches with heavy falls along the coast. The snowfall level will rise along the coast and southern areas as well, towards 900m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly higher terrain, frequent summits breaks
Patchy cloud at several heights at dawn, soon lifting and dissipating from many hills. For a time, most summits clear, only passing caps over the highest summits. Increasing risk of cloud over the coastal Munros through afternoon, spreading more widely into evening, to 400m coast, up to 600-700m well inland.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%, lowering to 30% later afternoon
Sunshine and air clarity?
Busts of sunshine, some high cloud at times weakening the sunshine, trending cloudier from the west through afternoon. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C lifting to -1C, later 0C along the coast and southern Munros. Feeling as cold as -10C in direct wind later in the day.
Freezing Level
Most inland terrain frozen at dawn, nearer 300-400m coastal Munros, approaching 500m Mull. Rising towards 600-800m, up to 1000m or higher south later.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 3rd April 2026
Last updated
Wed 1st Apr 26 at
4:14PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Generally west-southwesterly 20-30mph. Some variability, perhaps lower speeds at times.
Effect of the wind on you?
At times fairly small, but conditions will very, some blustery moments affecting stability and a notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Periods of snow/rain
Snow and rain affecting all areas (snow down to 400m). A mix of showers and longer periods of precipitation, heavy at times, notably Lochaber, perhaps a lull in the precipitation for a few hours.
Cloud on the hills?
Likely extensive, may break somewhat
Blanket cloud shrouds most hills to middle slopes most or all day, to the lower slopes near the coast. May briefly lift higher during cessations in precipitation, perhaps more frequently broken for a few hours.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly overcast and dull, perhaps an odd glimpse of weak sun, best chance inland. Mostly poor visibility in fog and rain/snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to -2C most of the day, though perhaps up to +2C early, mildest south. Feeling like -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500m north to 700m south, some variability; up to 800-900m at and before dawn.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 4th April 2026
Last updated
Wed 1st Apr 26 at
4:14PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Soon south-southeasterly, a lull early in day 20mph or less, but then rapid increase afternoon-evening 60-80mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
Small early in day, but likely deteriorating significantly during daytime - with time any mobility increasingly difficult.
How Wet?
Snow and rain developing, setting in
A few showers mostly near coast at first, with snow falling to some lower slopes for a time. Fading, but then likely afternoon more persistent hill snow and rain - for a time later rain up tops, then abruptly snow level dropping again.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied, likely lowering during day
Varied cloud banks, some hills clear for several hours at least, best inland Lochaber. Increasingly lowering from the south, filling in widely as precipitation develops.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Any weak sun in morning giving way to increasingly overcast skies. Visibility very good for a time, but then becoming very poor, appalling in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, rising to 0C or briefly higher, then dropping again after dark. Feeling like -15C as wind strengthens, colder later.
Freezing Level
Frost inland glens from dawn, 600m mid-morning, rising during afternoon, briefly toward high tops, then 600m into night.
Planning Outlook
Atlantic weather patterns and generally westerly wind will be dominant in the foreseeable future. The weekend ahead is increasingly unsettled, widespread gales on Easter with storm-force wind in Scotland, cooler temperatures, and showers west. Into next week, temperature and wind will be variable, periods of gales and possibly often cold over the mountains with snow and hail showers at times to lower elevations at least in Scotland, sometimes more widely. Precipitation generally most frequent west and northwest, though bands of heavy rain will sweep east at times. Some brief windows of drier and brighter conditions, as well as milder days in England and Wales, occasionally milder Scotland too, but soon followed by more Atlantic low pressure systems.