Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for an unsettled and often very windy few days. Low for exact wind strength on Tuesday. More broadly low confidence for Thursday and Friday.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
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.
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.
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.
Thunderstorms
Lightning is a significant mountain hazard which can result in serious injury or death. Mountain terrain often leaves one highly exposed to lightning strikes. Hail may give unpleasant conditions with torrential rain and localised flash flooding also possible, mainly in Summer months.
Mountain weather forecast
Outbreaks of rain spreading north, turning to showers in the afternoon.
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
20% | 60% | 70% | 70% | 10% | 10% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
S
26
|
S
27
|
SW
35
|
SW
35
|
SW
33
|
SW
27
|
| 900m |
S
25
|
S
25
|
SW
33
|
SW
34
|
SW
32
|
SW
27
|
| 600m |
S
15
|
S
16
|
SW
22
|
SW
24
|
SW
20
|
SW
18
|
| 300m |
SW
1
|
S
3
|
SW
6
|
SW
8
|
SW
7
|
SW
4
|
| Glen |
SE
3
|
S
7
|
SW
11
|
SW
12
|
SW
9
|
S
9
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 30 | 31 | 42 | 43 | 41 | 34 |
| 900m | 29 | 30 | 40 | 42 | 40 | 33 |
| 600m | 20 | 22 | 29 | 32 | 28 | 25 |
| 300m | 16 | 19 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 22 |
| Glen | 11 | 18 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 22 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
2°
|
| 900m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
| 600m |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| 300m |
6°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
| Glen |
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,300m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-5°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-6°
|
-5°
|
| 900m |
-4°
|
-5°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
| 300m |
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| Glen |
7°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Wet weather will notably enhance the wind chill. Main risk of thunderstorms in the south of the area midday and early afternoon.
Weather
Showery outbreaks of rain across Knoydart around dawn, spreading north through the morning, although in far north dry with sunny spells until late morning. Showers turning heavier around midday with a risk of thunder, then dying out at the end of the day. A rather cloudy evening, best of the clear spells across the north.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
60% in the north during the morning, otherwise 10-20%.
Low cloud and visibility
Good visibility to start the day across northern hills with a little patchy cloud around 800-900m, otherwise mostly very poor visibility in frequent cloud down to 500-600m.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Dry but mostly cloudy in the early hours. Heavy rain reaches the south of the area by dawn, spreading north across all ranges by mid-morning. Severe gales soon increasing to storm force winds. Rain turning to showers late afternoon and evening, occasionally heavy with a risk of thunder, and winds strengthening further, with severe gales likely even to low levels.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
80% soon falling to 20%.
Maximum wind speed expected
Southeast 40 gusting 55 mph soon increasing to 55 gusting 65-70 mph in the morning. Becoming south-southwest 90 gusting over 100 mph by late afternoon.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 4 Celsius rising to 6 Celsius. Falling to plus 3 Celsius in the evening.
- Glen Plus 4 Celsius rising to 13 Celsius.
- Freezing level Well above the summits, dropping to 1100m in the evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Good visibility for most to start, but deteriorating as rain spreads north, cloud bases lowering onto the summits, then 600m by late morning. Cloud lifting to 800m late evening.
Mountain weather information
Wed 10 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Southwest storm force winds. Cloudy with frequent heavy showers, falling as snow at munro level, a risk of thunder. Persistent rain to all levels in the evening. Freezing level around 1200m, but rising above the summits in the evening.
Thu 11 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Large uncertainty, but remaining windy with storm force winds likely. Rain for a time.
Fri 12 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Outbreaks of rain, preceded by summit snow and fresh to strong southerly winds, but large uncertainty.
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