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
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Tuesday 20th October 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Oct 26 at
4:53PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Damp for most, fairly widespread drizzle, rain, and low cloud; a rising risk of steady falls with heavy bursts in England and Scotland. Areas north of major hill groups see lighter, patchier rain, and north Scotland starts drier. Scotland will be windy; lighter wind southward, particularly Wales.
Headline for West Highlands
Fog and rain become widespread; windy, may later lessen
How windy? (On the Munros)
South-southeasterly 30 to 35mph, speeds varying, at times some gustier areas around Ben Nevis group and to the northwest, gusts to 45mph. A lessening tendency, though unlikely below 20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking through morning into afternoon, strongest gusts necessitate extra effort to maintain stability with significant wind chill. May become locally fairly small later.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle mostly south
Drizzly rain most frequent toward Loch Lomond and the central highlands, becoming steadier rain with time, later heavier. Generally smaller amounts in Lochaber, drier for a time in morning.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, locally better north/west to start
Toward the south and east, low cloud blanketing many hills in fog from lower elevations upward. Cloud base higher northwards, but fairly extensive above 700-800m. Around dawn, northern slopes from Mull to Knoydart see breaks to high terrain, but extensive cloud will gradually spread widely.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, dull and misty from many lower slopes upward, but locally better visibility toward coast and Fort William area mainly morning with some glimpses of sun on low northern slopes.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 5C, little change all day. Feeling like -2 to -5C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 21st October 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Oct 26 at
4:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Variable low speeds 10-15mph or less, becoming westerly 20-30mph, briefly up to 40mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but becoming more blustery and feeling chilly if exposed on high terrain, risk a period of strenuous conditions.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, later snow tops
Highly uncertain as areas of rain move around slowly, a risk of rain on and off widely, but may set in heavier southern areas particularly the islands and coast, turning to snow on the Munros later.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive higher areas
Covering many higher mountains, varied bases, often 700-900m, but dropping to 600m in rain in south. Some breaks mostly inland in Lochaber if drier for a time.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy. Visibility good if dry below cloud, but reduced in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C tending to drop to 2C later. Feeling nearer -5C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits much of the day, but later likely dropping to 1200m, then nearer 1000m into night.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 22nd October 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Oct 26 at
4:53PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 15-25mph, trending south-southeasterly into/overnight and greatly strengthening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small during daylight, a few blustery moments in exposure and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Some showers, snow on tops
Showers drift onto Munros nearest the coast, sometimes clustering together and slipping inland, but mostly light with dry windows, best towards Creag Meagaidh. Snow falling to 700m at first, this level rising.
Cloud on the hills?
Highly varied, mostly high terrain
Summits above 1100m will rarely clear (and likely only well-inland). Cloud often lowering towards 700-800m in showers, more extensively towards the coast, and perhaps more broadly shrouding high terrain in the morning.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Some glimpses of sun. Varied visibility, very good out of cloud and rain, but suddenly poor, to very poor in snow on high terrain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0C lifting to 2 or 3C. Feeling like -5 to -8C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
900-1000m, lifting to just the high summits.
Planning Outlook
A complex weather setup into midweek with slow-moving fronts bringing areas of rain and fairly extensive low cloud over the hills. Varied wind speeds and direction, though a risk of gales quickly sweeping into England and Wales Wednesday. Thursday may offer a window of brighter weather and lessening wind, but Thursday evening into night sees a deep area of low pressure move across England & Wales with heavy rain and gales, possibly turning to snow on higher mountains. Scotland may avoid this system and just see showers mostly in the west for Friday, wintry on tops. Atlantic southwesterlies then follow into the weekend: strong wind, periods of low cloud and rain, brighter windows too but with showers in the west. Some risk of stormy conditions in Scotland. Generally unsettled weather likely prevails to the end of October.