Mountain weather

Northwest Highlands

Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

Generally high for Tuesday and Wednesday. High for strong winds on Thursday, but low for timing of rain clearing. High confidence for a change to colder showery conditions Friday and Saturday, but low for details.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Strong to gale force southerly winds across the tops. Heavy rain spreads into Skye and Wester Ross this evening before easing towards midnight. Largely dry but cloudy across Easter Ross, Caithness and much of Sutherland. Freezing level well above the summits.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.

hazard Severe Chill Effect
Wind significantly lowers the ‘feels-like’ temperature relative to the actual temperature, with even moderate winds significantly adding to the chilling effect. Strong winds can result in a severe and debilitating wind chill many degrees below the actual temperature. This effect will be enhanced in rain or wet snow. Without protection, prolonged exposure could result in frost nip or frostbite on exposed parts of the body and/or hypothermia.
hazard 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.

hazard Gales
Gale force winds (gusts over 50mph) make walking difficult and strenuous with a potential to be blown over by gusts. There is often a marked increase in winds through cols or on exposed ridges and summits. Distances can take longer to cover and compass bearings become harder to follow accurately.

Mountain weather forecast

Early morning rain clearing to scattered showers, dry later. A cold wind chill.

00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Light rain Light rain Heavy rain Light snow Light snow Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
60% 70% 80% 60% 40% 30% 20% 10%

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 S
45
SW
45
W
36
W
30
W
26
W
21
W
14
SW
9
900m S
41
SW
43
W
35
W
29
W
26
W
20
W
13
SW
8
600m S
28
SW
31
W
26
W
21
W
19
W
16
W
9
SW
5
300m S
9
SW
12
W
11
W
10
W
10
W
9
W
5
SW
2
Glen S
18
SW
19
W
16
W
16
W
14
NW
11
W
6
N
3
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 56 58 47 40 36 29 18 11
900m 52 56 46 39 36 28 18 11
600m 40 44 37 32 29 24 14 8
300m 39 43 36 31 29 24 14 8
Glen 38 38 31 29 26 20 12 5

Altitude above mean sea level
00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
-1°
-1°
-2°
-2°
900m
-1°
-2°
600m
300m
Glen
11°
10°
Freezing Level
1,600m
1,600m
1,200m
800m
700m
600m
600m
600m

Altitude above mean sea level
00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
-4°
-4°
-7°
-8°
-9°
-8°
-7°
-7°
900m
-3°
-3°
-6°
-7°
-7°
-7°
-6°
-6°
600m
-2°
-3°
-3°
-3°
-2°
-2°
300m
Glen

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Improving conditions, but note the lowering freezing levels with remaining snow patches likely to become hard and icy.

Weather

Rain and southerly summit gales in the early hours, turning to snow above munro level around dawn as winds turn westerly and ease slightly. Rain and summit snow turn to scattered showers through the morning. Showers increasingly isolated in the afternoon, leaving a cloudy but mainly dry end to the day and coming night, any light showers restricted to western coasts.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

Nil becoming 30% by mid-morning, 60% in the afternoon.

Low cloud and visibility

Very poor visibility in rain and extensive cloud above 400-600m early hours and to start the day. Variable cloud bases through the day, between around 700 and 1100m, with an increasing chance of cloud breaks in the afternoon.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Patchy cloud through the early hours and to start the day and mainly dry. Cloud breaking around mid-morning to give a dry bright day with sunny spells. High cloud increases in the evening with southwest winds increasing.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

60% early morning, becoming 90%.

Maximum wind speed expected

West 5 to 10 mph. Becoming southwest 20 gusting 30 mph late evening.

Temperature

  • At 800m Zero Celsius, rising to plus 3 Celsius, falling to minus 1 Celsius in the evening.
  • Glen Plus 3 Celsius, rising to 8 Celsius.
  • Freezing level Around 800m, perhaps rising to 1000m.

Low cloud and visibility

Very good visibility, a chance of some patchy cloud above 500-700m around dawn. Otherwise summits likely to be cloud free.

Mountain weather information

Thu 21 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloudy with southwesterly severe gales and heavy rain, clearing to blustery showers later in the day. Freezing level 1000m, quickly rising well above the summits. Falling to 900m again evening.

Fri 22 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

West or northwest gales with frequent showers, falling as snow to increasingly lower levels, and giving a risk of thunder. Showers becoming heavier later in the day. Freezing level 800m falling to 600m.

Sat 23 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cold, with strong north or northwest winds. Heavy wintry showers, most likely turning dry with winds easing later.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service