Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence for colder conditions to continue until Wednesday when there will be a period of very mild conditions, turning colder again by Friday. Further snow accumulations expected on Monday as freezing level falls and showers continue. Milder conditions mid-week will cause some melting of the snowpack.
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.
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
Turning wintry again with wintry showers for north and eastern facing slopes, drier and brighter further west, bitterly cold in strong northeasterly winds.
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
30% | 50% | 20% | 30% | 20% | 20% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
NE
33
|
N
33
|
N
30
|
N
24
|
N
22
|
NW
19
|
| 900m |
NE
30
|
N
30
|
N
27
|
N
23
|
N
20
|
NW
17
|
| 600m |
NE
19
|
NE
19
|
N
17
|
N
14
|
N
12
|
NW
8
|
| 300m |
NE
6
|
N
8
|
N
6
|
N
6
|
N
3
|
N
3
|
| Glen |
NE
13
|
NE
13
|
N
10
|
N
9
|
N
6
|
N
5
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 38 | 38 | 36 | 30 | 27 | 24 |
| 900m | 35 | 36 | 33 | 29 | 25 | 21 |
| 600m | 24 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 13 |
| 300m | 28 | 29 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 15 |
| Glen | 28 | 29 | 24 | 21 | 14 | 13 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 900m |
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 600m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
| 300m |
4°
|
3°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
| Glen |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
| Freezing Level |
900m
|
800m
|
700m
|
600m
|
600m
|
600m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-9°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
| 900m |
-8°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-8°
|
| 600m |
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
| 300m |
2°
|
0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
| Glen |
3°
|
2°
|
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Turning colder during the day as freezing level falls, bitterly cold in wintry showers during the morning with significant windchill, progress will be tricky at higher levels with further snow accumulations expected, strong northerly winds will cause some isolated blizzards.
Weather
A cloudy day with frequent snow showers for more northern and eastern ranges, further west towards Torridon and the Fannichs there will be brighter and drier conditions. Showers frequent in the east in the morning but becoming more isolated during the afternoon with some brighter spells developing. Freezing level lowering from 1100m to 700m, showers turning increasingly wintry during the morning.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
60%, greater chance further south and west, improving to 70% in the afternoon.
Low cloud and visibility
Scattered or broken layers of cloud above 500m during the morning, perhaps more overcast for the Northern hills around Ben Hope, cloud tending to be patchier further west towards Torridon where fewer showers are likely. During the afternoon cloud becoming patchier with more chance of clear summits outwith showers. Visibility will be poor or very poor in the morning for the Northern summits but will improve steadily during the day with good periods in the afternoon.
Mountain weather information
Weather
A mostly dry night with mist and fog forming readily around the mountains and becoming slow to clear in the morning with patches around most of the day. Where any mist and fog clears it will become a fine and dry day with some winter sunshine.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
80%, some cloud will form around summits in the morning as fog rises but otherwise a lot of clear summits above mist and fog patches.
Maximum wind speed expected
Northwest 10-15mph backing Southwest later.
Temperature
- At 800m Minus 3 Celsius
- Glen Minus 1 rising to plus 3 Celsius.
- Freezing level 400-600m
Low cloud and visibility
Scattered layers of lower cloud around 300-600m along with fog. Some patchy cloud around summits but generally most cloud above summits. Good visibility generally but turning moderate or poor in mist or fog banks.
Mountain weather information
Wed 26 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Turning milder on Wednesday with some melting of snow pack expected, light rain and drizzle are likely at times throughout the day, with poor visibility at times, best conditions on more northeastern hills towards Caithness. Freezing level rising above all summits. Moderate Southwesterly winds.
Thu 27 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Milder conditions with snow melt likely, spells of light rain during the day and remaining quite cloudy. Southwesterly gales likely.
Fri 28 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Freezing level likely to fall again below summit level with strong westerly winds and showery conditions expected. Showers turning wintry.
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