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
Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
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.
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.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is 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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Severe gale or storm, mobility very difficult
Severe conditions on the mountains, any movement very challenging, you may be blown over. 55-70mph+
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.
Hazy, some fog banks
Visibility reduced around cloud banks, hazier on some lower slopes. Locally some improvements possible out of cloud.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is 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 5th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 4th Feb 26 at
4:39PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gale-force easterly winds, up to storm-force over the tops of the Highlands with severe wind chill; powerful gusts downslope into the glens. Further snowfalls over E & SE Highlands, sleet or rain lower down; low cloud and whiteout over hills. England and Wales: Rain and upland snow focused east Wales and into Pennines.
Headline for West Highlands
Stormy east winds, powerful gusts into glens. Flurries well inland. Best breaks west coast.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 50 to 70mph, strongest sustained speeds toward the south, powerful gusts of 80mph or more around higher mountains. Strongest on and near Arran.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult mobility, violent gusts may knock you over in places. Sudden ferocious gusts running downslope into some glens. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow flurries inland tops
Snow flurries mostly higher areas inland south and east from Rannoch Moor, initially rain below 600-700m. Some sleet over hills on Arran. Substantially or completely dry west coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over inland tops, less west
Cloud banks most persistent inland mountains across much of Loch Lomond NP to Arran, mostly above 800 to 1000m. Higher and more broken cloud westwards, frequently clearer hills west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%, but 70% west of Loch Linnhe.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunniest toward coast from Jura and Mull northward with very good visibility. More cloud well inland, hazier, locally poor visibility in precipitation.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-1 or -2C, dropping during day inland, but near coast just above 0C early in day. Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
800m, tending to drop to 600m later inland, but locally varied higher toward coast and on islands.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Friday 6th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 4th Feb 26 at
4:39PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 45 to 60mph, powerful gusts around higher mountains and downslope to the west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult mobility on high terrain, buffeting gusts knocking you off balance some lower slopes. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy snow inland and south
Snow flurries mostly inland areas, locally more frequent for periods southeast of Rannoch Moor, sleet or rain below 300m. Showers also around Arran, snow mostly above 600m here. Largely dry west Lochaber.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent inland, breaks west
Covering many mountains above 900-1000m inland, or often 700m Loch Lomond and Arran. Higher bases and more broken cloud near/west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy, some glimpses of sun mainly west Lochaber where visibility good. Hazier south, risk whiteout in places on high terrain in cloud and snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3 or -4C well inland, to -1C on nearest coast, (but -6C Ben Nevis top). Wind chill feeling like -15 to -20C.
Freezing Level
400 to 600m, lowest well inland, but variably higher up nearest to coast and on the islands.
Viewing Forecast For
West Highlands
Saturday 7th February 2026
Last updated
Wed 4th Feb 26 at
4:39PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Easterly 25 to 35mph at first, tending to lower to 15 to 25mph and veer into south-east.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking fairly arduous at first with significant wind chill and buffeting, but tending to ease down from the south.
How Wet?
Patchy precipitation petering out
A few snow flurries from dawn, rain below 500m, perhaps fairly constant Ben Alder down to Loch Lomond NP. Likely to fizzle out during afternoon. Very little if any west coast.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering upper terrain, clearer west coast.
Be prepared for extensive coverage across higher terrain above 800-1000m, more like 600m central Highlands. Best breaks in cloud, and chance of clear tops, hills west of Loch Linnhe.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sun toward west coast in an otherwise overcast atmosphere. Hazy, best visibility west coast, poor in any rain and snow flurries.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C lifting to near freezing, or just above.
Freezing Level
600m, tending to lifting to 800-1000m.
Planning Outlook
Cold east or southeasterly winds prevail, but less cold widely over the weekend as freezing level lifts somewhat from the south, rising just above freezing point in Scotland toward 1000m. Colder air then likely returns from east next week. Further snowfalls mostly over eastern hills in Scotland, occasionally hills in England & Wales, mixed with rain here. Indications of less precipitation and lower wind speeds for periods during next week. Highest cloud breaks west & northwest Scotland, where terrain will be very dry toward west coast.