Western Highlands accessible from, and south of, Glenfinnan (Road to the Isles) and Glen Spean (includes Creag Meagaidh). This area include Ben Nevis and the mountains around Glencoe. In the east, includes Ben Alder south to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP. Includes Arran and Mull.
West Highlands
Tuesday 26th October 2021
Last updated
Mon 25th Oct 21 at
4:05PM
Widespread gales across the hills, severe on higher terrain, increasingly stormy. A period of rain associated with a warm front, leaving a legacy of drizzly rain and low cloud for many hills. In western Scotland, staying generally wet and heavier rain returns later.
Severe upland gales, becoming stormy. Rain and drizzle.
Southwesterly, marked increase of speed with height to 40 to 60mph, or 70mph by afternoon on higher mountains, gusts over 80mph high tops.
Difficult conditions on hills, any mobility tortuous where exposed on higher summits and ridges; powerful gusts into passes. Significant wind chill.
Rain or drizzle most or all day; heavy early and late.
Heavy rain from before dawn continues into the morning, the rain rarely ceasing all day in many areas, intensity varied. May fade to spots in the wind at times inland. Becoming heavier again later from west. Torrential rain onward into night.
Extensive, lowest coasts
Blanket fog to lower slopes throughout the day around coasts, islands and sea lochs. Cloud bases higher inland, but often covering mountains above 600 to 800m, highest breaks around Glen Spean.
10%
Overcast and murky during rain, particularly toward coast. A general haze at best. Rare if any glimpses of sun well inland.
3C rising to 7C, then lowering to 5C into evening. Where directly in the wind on tops, chill factor feels closer to -7C.
Above the summits
West Highlands
Wednesday 27th October 2021
Last updated
Mon 25th Oct 21 at
4:05PM
Southwesterly, 30 to 40mph, up to 50mph for a time coastal mountains, mainly near Mull, lower risk Arran.
Frequent buffeting, in morning conditions may be arduous or difficult where exposed on some tops. Considerable wind chill.
Rain on and off
Heavy overnight rain fades, but leaves drizzly rain, becoming further pulses of rain which may set in again from the west. Very wet underfoot following previous heavy rain, streams in spate or flood.
Often covering tops, lowest west
Shrouding most mountains from dawn, but bases tending to rise, particularly inland, to around 800m. Some breaks to 1000m or above north and east of Rannoch Moor. Toward coast, often covering hills above 600 to 800m.
10%, up to 30% well inland.
Glimpses of sun, mainly well inland. Visibility good below cloud inland, but a general haze, particularly near west coast.
5 to 7C, coolest toward west of Loch Linnhe, lowering toward 3C into night.
Above the summits
West Highlands
Thursday 28th October 2021
Last updated
Mon 25th Oct 21 at
4:05PM
Southwesterly, 30-35mph for a time, but likely to ease to 20mph or less.
Risk of very blustery conditions early in day, may well become small.
Rain at times, showery bursts
Risk of persistent rain for a few hours heaviest Loch Lomond NP, likely to clear. A few showery bursts spreading in from the southwest through the day, locally may become frequent.
Covering southern hills above 600 to 800m for a time, although bases likely to rise. Further north, mostly above 800-1000m, with higher breaks northwards across Lochaber. Lowering in showers
30% south, to 50% north.
Mostly cloudy, a little sun, mainly inland and for Lochaber. Visibility very good away from rain/showers.
3 or 4C
Close to freezing on highest summits in Ben Nevis range.
Very wet across many mountains this week. Worst conditions focused on the Lakes and Wales by Wednesday-Thursday, where a slow-moving front brings prolonged heavy rainfall and a likelihood of flooding. Staying unsettled through into the weekend, often windy, periods of gale or severe gales continuing on the mountains. Above freezing through midweek, then becoming cooler. By the weekend into next week, colder conditions are expected to prevail, with higher Munros sub-zero for a run of days into the start of November. A marked lowering of freezing level is likely for a few days next week with showers of snow and hail on the hills at times.