Mountain weather

Northwest Highlands

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Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for changeable weather for the next few days, but low for extent of any precipitation on a daily basis.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Cloudy and windy with patchy rain, and some summit snow at first. Strong to gale southeasterly summit winds.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.
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 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.
Mountain hazards explained
Avalanche information for Scotland. Scottish Avalanche Information Service.

Mountain weather forecast

Cold, very windy although mainly dry with just a few snow showers

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
 Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Sunny intervals Light snow Light snow Partly cloudy (night) Partly cloudy (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
 30% 30% 40% 30% 30% 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 SE
51
 SE
46
 SE
44
 SE
50
 SE
49
 SE
47
 E
46
 E
45
900m SE
47
 SE
41
 SE
40
 SE
46
 SE
44
 SE
42
 E
42
 E
42
600m SE
27
 SE
26
 E
26
 SE
28
 SE
29
 SE
28
 E
27
 E
27
300m SE
5
 SE
3
 E
4
 SE
7
 SE
7
 SE
6
 SE
7
 E
7
Glen E
17
 E
14
 E
12
 E
16
 E
17
 E
16
 E
18
 E
13
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 60 54 53 61 59 57 57 57
900m 56 49 49 56 54 52 53 53
600m 38 35 35 40 40 39 39 39
300m 39 34 33 38 38 36 38 37
Glen 37 34 31 36 38 37 41 32

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
1°
1°
0°
0°
-1°
-1°
-2°
-3°
900m
1°
2°
1°
1°
0°
0°
-1°
-2°
600m
4°
4°
4°
4°
3°
3°
2°
1°
300m
6°
6°
6°
5°
5°
5°
4°
3°
Glen
9°
9°
9°
8°
8°
8°
7°
6°
Freezing Level
1,800m
1,700m
1,400m
1,400m
900m
900m
700m
600m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
-9°
-8°
-9°
-10°
-11°
-11°
-12°
-13°
900m
-8°
-7°
-7°
-8°
-9°
-10°
-11°
-12°
600m
-2°
-2°
-2°
-3°
-4°
-4°
-5°
-6°
300m
4°
5°
4°
3°
3°
3°
2°
1°
Glen
5°
6°
6°
5°
4°
4°
3°
2°

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Be prepared for summit gales making for severe wind chill, slow progress and a risk of being blown over. Note drop in freezing level as the day progresses.

Weather

Mainly dry although fairly cloudy at times, some brighter spells breaking through along the west coast. A few scattered showers, these increasingly falling to snow down to 800 metres by the end of the morning.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

50%, best chance across Skye, northern Lochaber and Wester Ross

Low cloud and visibility

Poor in areas of cloud down to 750 metres, this most persistent and extensive across the east of the area.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Some brightness along the west coast otherwise rather cloudy. A few snow showers across Sutherland and Easter Ross otherwise largely dry.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

40%, best chance along the west coast

Maximum wind speed expected

Southeasterly average speeds of 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph on the tops

Temperature

  • At 800m Minus 2 Celsius
  • Glen Plus 2 rising to 4 Celsius
  • Freezing level 600 metres

Low cloud and visibility

Poor in areas of cloud down to 750 metres shrouding some of the summits in the east. Less in the way of hill fog towards the west coast.

Mountain weather information

Sat 24 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Snow showers across the north and east, dry elsewhere with sunny breaks towards the west coast.

Sun 25 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mainly dry, cold with the clearest skies along the west coast. Chance of a light snow shower across the east.

Mon 26 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cold with variable amounts of cloud a few light snow showers in the east.

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

Loading 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

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