
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for generally cold and unsettled conditions persisting, but low for exact detail day-to-day
This evening forecast
Dry with clear spells through the evening allowing temperatures to fall away and a widespread frost develop. Cloudier over Caithness and northeast of Loch Shin, with cloud here quite widespread down to around 1000m. Feeling bitterly cold in southeast winds 25-35mph, gusting 45mph over the highest summits.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
Severe Chill Effect
Mountain weather forecast
Dry and bright morning, hazier afternoon. Cold. Windy morning.
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% | 00% | 00% | 00% | 00% | <05% | 00% |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000m |
SE
32
|
SE
31
|
SE
26
|
SE
17
|
SE
13
|
SE
8
|
SE
9
|
E
9
|
900m |
SE
32
|
SE
31
|
SE
29
|
SE
17
|
SE
13
|
SE
8
|
SE
9
|
E
9
|
600m |
SE
18
|
SE
20
|
SE
19
|
SE
15
|
SE
8
|
SE
5
|
SE
7
|
E
6
|
300m |
E
8
|
E
8
|
E
11
|
E
9
|
E
6
|
E
4
|
E
6
|
E
6
|
Glen |
E
14
|
E
14
|
E
16
|
E
10
|
E
6
|
SE
4
|
E
7
|
E
6
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000m | 39 | 40 | 36 | 22 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
900m | 39 | 40 | 39 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
600m | 26 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
300m | 24 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
Glen | 23 | 24 | 26 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 9 |
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000m |
-4°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
900m |
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
600m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
300m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
0°
|
Glen |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
4°
|
6°
|
4°
|
4°
|
Freezing Level |
100m
|
200m
|
100m
|
100m
|
200m
|
300m
|
200m
|
200m
|
00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000m |
-14°
|
-14°
|
-14°
|
-12°
|
-10°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
900m |
-13°
|
-13°
|
-13°
|
-11°
|
-8°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
600m |
-8°
|
-8°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-4°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
300m |
-5°
|
-5°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-2°
|
1°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
Glen |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
2°
|
4°
|
1°
|
1°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Feeling bitterly cold despite sunny spells. Gusts of 40mph in the morning will give difficult walking conditions with a risk of being blown off balance. Navigation could be challenging with energy output significantly increased when walking into the wind
Weather
Partly cloudy in the early hours towards Strathfarrar and Glen Affric, with largely clear skies elsewhere. Then a dry day, with good sunny spells in the morning, but sunshine turning hazier in the afternoon as high level cloud spills in. Strong south to southeast winds will ease through the afternoon and evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
90% or higher, lowest chance in the east in the morning.
Low cloud and visibility
Generally no low cloud, clear summits and good visibilities, but some areas of cloud around Easter Ross and the Great Glen at first down to 800-1000m, with visibilities dropping moderate or poor in hill fog, but cloud here becomes more broken through the morning.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Dry with high level cloud first thing. Then staying mainly dry with some brightness towards Skye and western coastal ranges, but some patchy outbreaks of snow towards Caithness and Easter Ross. Cold again with strengthening east to southeasterly winds.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
60%, best chances in northwest
Maximum wind speed expected
East to southeast 15-25mph increasing to 30-40mph, gusting 50-60mph by the evening
Temperature
- At 800m Minus 2 to minus 4 Celsius.
- Glen Plus 1 to plus 4 Celsius.
- Freezing level 300-400m
Low cloud and visibility
Often clear summits and good visibilities, but with high level cloud. Areas of cloud down to 800-1000m through the day in association with showery rain, and visibilities dropping moderate or poor in outbreaks of sleet or snow.
Mountain weather information
Sun 16 Feb
Largely cloudy but dry. Some patchy outbreaks of snow in the east in the morning, and around west coast all day. Strong to gale southeast winds. Feeling cold with freezing level 300-400m.
Mon 17 Feb
Low confidence but likely largely cloudy with some patchy snow around the west coast. Strong southeast winds. Feeling cold with freezing level around 200m.
Tue 18 Feb
Low confidence but likely dry, partly cloudy with some brighter spells possible. Strong southeast winds ease down. Feeling cold with freezing level around 200m.
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
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