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.
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.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of cloud.
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.
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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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.
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.
Hazy, some fog banks
Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of cloud.
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.
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
Tuesday 20th January 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Jan 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong southeasterlies, gusting gale-force Scottish mountains, strengthening widely. Gales all day for Wales, severe on high tops, increasingly northern England also. Some light rain and hill snow flurries, mostly eastern Scotland, fading with rising cloud base. Heavier rain develops in south Wales.
Headline for West Highlands
Windy, increasingly gales. A little rain, low cloud south, better north.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 35 to 45mph, tending to strengthen, very gusty in places including downslope north of higher tops. Quickly reaching 50-60mph during afternoon Arran and near Clyde, elsewhere up to dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting comfortable walking and making balance challenging on exposed ridges; considerable wind chill. Deteriorating to become widely difficult later, soonest in south.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, flurries, often dry north
A little rain, or snow flurries falling mostly above 800-900m, mainly southern areas in morning. Patchier inland and northwards into Lochaber, more often dry all day.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive but rising with good breaks
Shrouding southern hills to mid slopes in morning, higher bases Lochaber; bases drift higher up during day with breaks forming, locally good breaks to tops mainly north/west of Ben Nevis group.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 50%, or 70% N/W Lochaber
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, brightest in northwest Lochaber, some sun breaking through, visibility good below cloud. Hazier toward south.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or 1C. Wind chill feeling like -10C then -15C as speed increases.
Freezing Level
900 to 1000m. Patchy slight frost some lower slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Wednesday 21st January 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Jan 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 30 to 50mph, powerful gusts downslope N/W of major tops; lessening for a time, then increasing again later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Risk often challenging conditions, but may moderate for a few hours, perhaps longer. Significant wind chill in higher speeds.
How Wet?
Patchy rain and upland snow
Snow falling above 800-900m, rain lower down, most frequent Loch Lomond NP into central highlands, intermittently extending westward, but small amounts near/west of Ben Nevis group.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent south, higher north/west
Covering hills in south above 600 to 800m. Higher cloud base northward, but often capping tops above 900-1000m, breaks best toward west of Fort William.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of weak sun mostly toward west of Lochaber, where visibility very good. Very poor if in snow and cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 to 2C, highest toward islands. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C where exposed on higher areas.
Freezing Level
900 to 1000m, but likely just above freezing to some higher slopes near coast and on islands.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Thursday 22nd January 2026
Last updated
Mon 19th Jan 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
East to southeasterly 45 to 60mph, in places 70mph around Ben Nevis; powerful gusts downslope toward west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions, mobility challenging and gusts may knock you over not just on highest terrain. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow mostly inland and south
Snow most persistent over hills from Loch Lomond into central highlands, patchier west and northward, often dry west of Fort William. Near coast around Clyde to Arran, may fall as rain to some upper slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied cloud, more broken W Lochaber
Likely to cover many hills around Loch Lomond NP, to some midslopes in south. Higher cloud base northwestward, some breaks to tops mainly west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A little weak sun mostly near and west of Loch Linnhe where visibility locally good, otherwise cloudy and rather hazy.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-2C inland, likely increasingly widely, but toward coast and islands up to +2C. Wind chill feels as cold as -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
Variable near coast, just above freezing to some tops, but 600-800m inland, may drop widely below 600m with time.
Planning Outlook
Strong east to southeasterlies continue beyond midweek, sustained gales over most mountains with powerful gusts downslope toward west. Near or just below freezing on higher tops - colder air is likely to move into Scotland at least late in the week, much mountain terrain then frozen with severe chill factor. Scope for substantial snowfalls over eastern Scottish hills later this week. Sleet or snow mostly higher tops in England and Wales, may fall lower over the weekend. Low cloud often covering many hills across Britain, clearer and drier toward western coasts. Circulating low pressure and cold air likely into next week, with further snowfalls likely.