Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for the very unsettled conditions for Wednesday. Some uncertainty regarding the timing of the next rain and summit snow arriving on Thursday afternoon.
This evening forecast
Clear spells and scattered showers this evening, falling as snow on summits. Strengthening southwesterly winds.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
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.
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.
Storm Force Winds
Storm force winds (gusts over 70mph) make walking very strenuous with any mobility virtually impossible over exposed ground. Where these conditions occur there is a high risk of being blown over and even standing may be impossible at times with a risk of being blown off one’s feet. Basic tasks such as using a map, eating, putting on extra clothing or communication become extremely difficult away from any shelter.
Blizzards
Blizzards and whiteouts present challenging and serious conditions due to a combination of falling or blowing snow, strong winds and cold temperatures. They can be highly disorientating, often resulting in near-zero visibility with limited or no visual references and no distinction between ground and sky. Cliff edges and cornices may not be apparent, even close up. These conditions require very good navigational skills.
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
Rain, with snow above in 800m in the morning. Turning milder with patchy rain in afternoon then showers later. Strong winds, with severe gales or storm force gusts on upper slopes in the morning.
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
20% | 40% | 70% | 60% | 40% | 30% | 30% | 30% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
S
42
|
S
50
|
S
55
|
S
55
|
SW
47
|
SW
41
|
SW
35
|
SW
34
|
| 900m |
S
39
|
S
45
|
S
51
|
S
49
|
SW
44
|
SW
39
|
SW
33
|
SW
31
|
| 600m |
S
26
|
S
32
|
S
36
|
S
32
|
SW
30
|
SW
26
|
SW
22
|
SW
20
|
| 300m |
S
8
|
S
7
|
S
11
|
S
11
|
SW
12
|
SW
12
|
SW
9
|
SW
8
|
| Glen |
S
14
|
S
16
|
S
19
|
S
24
|
S
19
|
S
17
|
S
13
|
S
10
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 51 | 62 | 70 | 68 | 60 | 53 | 45 | 44 |
| 900m | 48 | 57 | 66 | 62 | 57 | 51 | 43 | 42 |
| 600m | 36 | 43 | 51 | 46 | 44 | 39 | 33 | 30 |
| 300m | 32 | 37 | 46 | 44 | 42 | 38 | 31 | 28 |
| Glen | 29 | 36 | 41 | 47 | 38 | 34 | 29 | 23 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
0°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
0°
|
| 900m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
1°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
| 600m |
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
3°
|
5°
|
5°
|
4°
|
3°
|
| 300m |
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
5°
|
7°
|
7°
|
6°
|
5°
|
| Glen |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
8°
|
9°
|
10°
|
8°
|
8°
|
| Freezing Level |
800m
|
700m
|
800m
|
1,800m
|
1,500m
|
1,300m
|
1,100m
|
1,000m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-11°
|
-13°
|
-12°
|
-9°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
-8°
|
| 900m |
-10°
|
-11°
|
-11°
|
-8°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
| 600m |
-5°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
-4°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
| 300m |
1°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
2°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
| Glen |
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
3°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Walking will be extremely difficult and dangerous at times on exposed ground in the morning with a high risk of being blown over. Be prepared for sudden very strong gusts on lee slopes.
Weather
Rain, preceeded by snow above 800m, spreads east across the area during the morning. Rain turns light and patchy by the afternoon with some brighter spells developing, but also the risk of a few heavier showers later in the day, these falling as snow above 800m. A very windy day, with severe gales or storm force gusts on upper slopes in the morning.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10% rising to 40% in the afternoon, best chances across Easter Ross and Caithness.
Low cloud and visibility
Cloud bases 600-800m in the morning, breaking up and lifting slightly in the afternoon. Visbility will be a few kilometers below cloud bases but poor or very poor in snow during the morning for time. Visibility generally improving in the afternoon outside of showers.
Mountain weather information
Weather
A bright morning with sunny spells and posibly the odd shower. Cloud will tend to increase in the afternoon ahead of rain, and snow above 1000m, spreading in from the south later in the day.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
70% in the morning, decreasing to 40% during the afternoon.
Maximum wind speed expected
Gusting 40-50mph on summits.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 1 rising 2 Celsius later.
- Glen Plus 1 rising 5 Celsius.
- Freezing level 800m rising to 1000m in the afternoon.
Low cloud and visibility
Generally good visibility with just a patches of cloud around 700-900m in the morning. Bases lowering and becoming gradually overcast during the afternoon, with visbility reducing to a few kilometers or less in snow above 1000m later.
Mountain weather information
Fri 19 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Strong winds and blustery showers. Gales or severe gales on summits. Freezing level 1000m.
Sat 20 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Remaining windy with further showers or spells of rain. Freezing level 1200m.
Sun 21 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mainly cloudy with risk of a few showers. Freezing level 1200m.
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