Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for an unsettled rainy period until Friday, but lower confidence for exact rainfall details. Then likely a more settled few days until Sunday.
This evening forecast
A generally dry evening with some bright spells, while a few lingering showers drift northwest and fizzle out. Some mist or fog beginning to form in valleys towards midnight. Light east to southeasterly winds.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
Heavy Persistent Rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
Poor Visibility
Poor visibility presents challenging route finding conditions. Visibility could be significantly less than 50 metres in all directions with few or no visual references, especially on featureless moors or plateaux. Distances become hard to judge and cliff or cornice edges can be difficult to recognise. These conditions require good navigational skills. There is a risk of white-out conditions when mist or fog is combined with extensive snow cover.
Mountain weather forecast
Low cloud in the morning. Heavy rain in the afternoon and evening.
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
<05% | <05% | <05% | <05% | 10% | 90% | 90% | 70% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
SE
7
|
E
5
|
N
4
|
N
9
|
N
14
|
N
20
|
N
26
|
N
27
|
| 900m |
SE
7
|
E
4
|
N
5
|
N
9
|
N
15
|
N
20
|
N
25
|
N
26
|
| 600m |
SE
5
|
S
2
|
N
4
|
N
8
|
N
11
|
N
15
|
N
19
|
N
21
|
| 300m |
E
2
|
N
1
|
N
2
|
N
7
|
N
12
|
N
14
|
N
15
|
N
16
|
| Glen |
NW
1
|
W
1
|
SW
2
|
N
9
|
N
14
|
N
18
|
N
22
|
N
25
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 9 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 28 | 34 | 37 |
| 900m | 8 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 27 | 33 | 35 |
| 600m | 7 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 30 |
| 300m | 5 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 26 | 31 | 34 |
| Glen | 3 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 24 | 30 | 38 | 43 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
9°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
7°
|
7°
|
6°
|
5°
|
| 900m |
10°
|
9°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
6°
|
5°
|
| 600m |
11°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
8°
|
7°
|
| 300m |
12°
|
12°
|
12°
|
12°
|
12°
|
11°
|
10°
|
8°
|
| Glen |
13°
|
13°
|
13°
|
14°
|
14°
|
14°
|
12°
|
11°
|
| Freezing Level |
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
2,300m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
8°
|
7°
|
7°
|
5°
|
3°
|
3°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
| 900m |
8°
|
8°
|
7°
|
6°
|
4°
|
4°
|
2°
|
0°
|
| 600m |
10°
|
10°
|
9°
|
8°
|
7°
|
7°
|
4°
|
3°
|
| 300m |
12°
|
12°
|
12°
|
11°
|
10°
|
8°
|
7°
|
5°
|
| Glen |
13°
|
13°
|
14°
|
13°
|
12°
|
10°
|
8°
|
7°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Heavy persistent rain in the evening will provide soaking conditions in addition to potentially slippery pathways and some fast-flowing watercourses.
Weather
Generally dry with some clear spells through the morning. However, some patchy low cloud with mist or hill fog and outbreaks of light drizzle in eastern Caithness and Sutherland, or some isolated mist or fog patches forming overnight in prone valleys elsewhere. This will gradually lift and break through the morning, with perhaps some bright spells around midday. Heavy showery rain begins to break out in the afternoon, becoming widespread and persistent through the evening, particularly for north-facing upslopes.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
Generally 50% from the morning to early afternoon, the best chances in the west towards Torridon, Knoydart and Strathfarrar. Falling to 20% through the evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Patches of low cloud combined with mist, light drizzle or fog from valley level up to 300m in the morning. This lifts and breaks to allow generally clear summits and some clearer breaks through the middle of the day. Cloud becomes more extensive later with bases down to 400-500m and very poor visibilities in heavy persistent rain.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Widespread cloud throughout the day, with outbreaks of patchy rain at times, potentially heavy in the afternoon.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
Generally less than 10%, but 40% in the south of the region towards Glen Shiel, and Glen Affric.
Maximum wind speed expected
Northerly, average 25-30mph, but with gusts up to 40-50mph possible over the highest summits
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 4 to plus 6 Celsius.
- Glen Plus 10 to plus 12 Celsius.
- Freezing level Above summits.
Low cloud and visibility
In the north, extensive low cloud combined with mist, light drizzle or fog down to 100-200m in the morning. This lifts and breaks to some extent to allow some patchy broken cloud at 300-400m and some clearer breaks through the middle of the day. Clearer in the south with bases up to around 700-800m or higher at times, and some bright or even sunny spells possible.
Mountain weather information
Fri 24 May
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Widespread low cloud at first, becoming brighter through the day. A few heavy afternoon showers possible. Light east to northeast winds.
Sat 25 May
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Generally dry and bright, the odd light shower possible in the afternoon. Fresh southerly winds.
Sun 26 May
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Some bright spells and scattered showers. Fresh southerly winds.
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
Loading map…
Key
Mountain summits
Other points of interest
Cluster of multiple stations
Separated from the Grampians by the Great Glen the weather forecast area includes Wester Ross, Assynt, Sutherland, Knoydart, Torridon, Glen Affric and the Cuillin Hills on the Isle of Skye.
For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service