Mountain weather

Northwest Highlands

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Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for cold southeasterly winds to persist bringing a chance of snow showers across the north, but often dry conditions elsewhere.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

A few light snow showers otherwise largely dry with patchy cloud above 750 metres. Strong to gale bitterly cold southeasterly 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 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 and windy with snow showers in the north, drier elsewhere

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
 Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Light snow Cloudy Light snow Light snow Light snow
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
 00% 00% 20% 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 E
49
 E
50
 E
50
 E
46
 E
43
 E
39
 E
39
 E
40
900m E
45
 E
46
 E
46
 E
41
 E
40
 E
36
 E
36
 E
37
600m E
30
 E
31
 E
31
 E
28
 E
24
 E
21
 E
22
 E
24
300m E
6
 E
7
 E
7
 E
5
 E
6
 E
5
 E
5
 E
6
Glen E
15
 E
16
 E
16
 E
15
 E
13
 E
13
 E
14
 E
14
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 58 59 60 55 52 48 48 50
900m 54 55 55 51 49 45 45 47
600m 40 41 42 39 35 31 33 35
300m 39 40 40 35 33 31 31 32
Glen 35 37 38 35 31 29 32 32

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
-4°
-4°
-4°
-4°
-3°
-2°
-2°
-2°
900m
-3°
-3°
-3°
-3°
-2°
-1°
-1°
-1°
600m
0°
0°
-1°
-1°
0°
1°
1°
1°
300m
3°
2°
2°
2°
3°
4°
3°
3°
Glen
6°
5°
5°
5°
6°
6°
6°
6°
Freezing Level
500m
400m
400m
500m
600m
700m
700m
700m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1000m
-15°
-16°
-16°
-15°
-14°
-12°
-12°
-12°
900m
-13°
-14°
-14°
-13°
-12°
-10°
-10°
-10°
600m
-8°
-9°
-9°
-9°
-7°
-6°
-6°
-6°
300m
0°
-1°
-1°
0°
1°
1°
1°
1°
Glen
1°
0°
0°
0°
2°
3°
2°
2°

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Winds may reach close to 70 mph on the highest tops, and be prepared for severe wind chill. Strong winds will make for slow progress and a risk of being blown over.

Weather

Snow showers will affect northern Sutherland and Caithness through the day. Elsewhere it will be mainly dry with just the odd snow shower, this most likely across the Cuillins.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

50%, best chance across the south and west

Low cloud and visibility

Patchy cloud down to 750 metres at first with good visibility. Cloud becoming more extensive and lowering to 600 metres in snow across the north of the area. Otherwise areas of cloud around 750 metres developing elsewhere, but more broken and higher towards the west coast.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Snow showers across northern Sutherland and Caithness throughout the day. Elsewhere mainly dry with just the odd light snow shower. Strong to gale bitterly cold southeasterly winds.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

50%, best chance across the south of the area and along the west coast

Maximum wind speed expected

Southeasterly average speeds of 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph on the higher tops

Temperature

  • At 800m Minus 1 Celsius
  • Glen 0 rising to 3 Celsius
  • Freezing level 700 metres

Low cloud and visibility

Poor in cloud down to 600 metres in snow showers across the north of the area. Elsewhere areas of cloud down to 750 to 900 metres, this more broken with highest bases towards the west coast.

Mountain weather information

Sun 25 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cold and windy with snow showers across the north, drier elsewhere. Snow showers may develop elsewhere towards evening. Strong to gale southeasterly summit winds.

Mon 26 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Similar to Sunday. A scattering of snow showers, these predominantly across the north.

Tue 27 Jan

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Remaining cold with strong southeasterly winds and snow showers.

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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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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