Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for a mainly dry and bright, but cold day on Tuesday followed by a milder spell on Wednesday and Thursday with some rain and snow melt likely. Turning colder again by the end of the week but low confidence in the forecast from Friday.
This evening forecast
Scattered wintry showers dying out later in the evening, then mainly dry with clear spell. Mist and fog patches are likely to form in valleys during the evening, feeling very cold in fresh northerly winds.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
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.
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
Perhaps some mist and fog to start the day but becoming dry, bright with sunny spells, light northerly winds backing southwesterly later.
| 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) |
10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
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 |
NW
14
|
N
11
|
N
11
|
W
7
|
SW
4
|
S
9
|
S
12
|
S
16
|
| 900m |
NW
12
|
N
9
|
N
9
|
W
5
|
SW
4
|
S
9
|
S
11
|
S
15
|
| 600m |
NW
6
|
N
5
|
NE
4
|
SW
3
|
SW
4
|
S
7
|
S
7
|
S
10
|
| 300m |
N
2
|
N
2
|
NE
2
|
NE
1
|
SW
2
|
S
2
|
S
3
|
S
4
|
| Glen |
N
4
|
N
5
|
NE
4
|
NE
3
|
SW
1
|
E
2
|
E
3
|
SE
5
|
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 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 20 |
| 900m | 14 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 19 |
| 600m | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 14 |
| 300m | 11 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 12 |
| Glen | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-3°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 900m |
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
| 300m |
1°
|
1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
2°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
| Glen |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
4°
|
| Freezing Level |
700m
|
700m
|
600m
|
600m
|
700m
|
600m
|
600m
|
500m
|
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°
|
-8°
|
-6°
|
-4°
|
-6°
|
-8°
|
-8°
|
| 900m |
-7°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-5°
|
-3°
|
-5°
|
-7°
|
-8°
|
| 600m |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
| 300m |
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-3°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
| Glen |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
2°
|
0°
|
1°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Freezing level lowering during the day. Winds mostly light but still feeling very cold out on the hills.
Weather
Dry and cold overnight with a few mist and fog patches forming in more prone areas. Early mist and fog will be soon clear in the morning to leave a bright and dry day with plenty of weak sunshine. Clear spells after dark however cloud will spill in from the west later in the evening. Feeling very cold.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
80% improving to 95%, early low cloud will slowly lift and clear.
Low cloud and visibility
Patchy low cloud above 700m will affect the summits in the morning. All cloud should lift and clear leaving excellent visibility and great views across the area.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Cloud increasing in the early hours with milder air spreading in from the west on Wednesday. Outbreaks of light rain and drizzle expected during the day, falling as rain at all levels as freezing level rises above all summits. This is likely to cause some melting of any snow during the day so watercourses may become fuller. Some dry and brighter spells towards the more eastern hills and feeling mild here too by the afternoon. Mist and fog patches are likely to form in more sheltered glens in the evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
70% initially, deteriorating to 40%, best chance for hills further north and east.
Maximum wind speed expected
Southwesterly 30-35mph gusts 40mph.
Temperature
- At 800m Minus 2 Celsius rising to Plus 2 Celsius
- Glen Minus 1 rising to Plus 7 Celsius.
- Freezing level 800m rising to above all summits.
Low cloud and visibility
Scattered cloud layers above 400m in the west in the morning, the lower cloud will increase during the day and become more overcast. Further north and east low cloud will be patchy above 600m initially but will also fill in during the day. Good visibility will deteriorate in rain and drizzle during the day and become poor in the west in the afternoon.
Mountain weather information
Thu 27 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Remaining mild with rain throughout the day, persistent at times but turning more showery in the afternoon, poor visibility a potential hazard, perhaps some brighter spells during the afternoon in the east. Freezing level above all summits and strong Southwesterly gales, possibly severe gales at times.
Fri 28 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Turning colder again with freezing level lowering and wintry showers likely above 800m. Showers mostly confined to more western hills and accompanied by strong Southwesterly gales, risk of severe gales.
Sat 29 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Likely to be strong westerly winds and showers but low confidence in the weekend forecast.
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
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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