Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for most aspects of the forecast. A couple of hours uncertainty on timing of rain on Sunday, and low confidence in exact wind speeds and rain amounts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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.
Heavy Persistent Rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
Mountain weather forecast
Mostly dry cloudy morning. Heavy rain and summit snow afternoon and evening.
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
10% | 10% | 20% | 60% | 90% | 70% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
SE
20
|
SE
17
|
SE
18
|
SE
23
|
SE
26
|
S
23
|
| 900m |
SE
18
|
SE
15
|
SE
17
|
SE
22
|
SE
25
|
S
21
|
| 600m |
S
12
|
SE
11
|
SE
11
|
SE
16
|
SE
16
|
S
14
|
| 300m |
SE
1
|
E
1
|
E
3
|
E
4
|
E
4
|
SE
3
|
| Glen |
SE
5
|
E
7
|
E
7
|
E
12
|
E
12
|
SE
9
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 23 | 20 | 22 | 28 | 32 | 27 |
| 900m | 21 | 18 | 20 | 27 | 30 | 25 |
| 600m | 15 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 20 |
| 300m | 8 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 16 |
| Glen | 9 | 11 | 13 | 19 | 22 | 18 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
| 900m |
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
| 600m |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| 300m |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
| Glen |
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
8°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,500m
|
1,500m
|
1,400m
|
1,400m
|
1,400m
|
1,200m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-2°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
| 900m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
| 600m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
| 300m |
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| Glen |
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
6°
|
5°
|
6°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Deteriorating conditions in the afternoon with flashy rivers and streams rising quickly late afternoon and evening. Note very wet conditions will enhance the wind-chill effect.
Weather
Largely dry with some low cloud through the morning, a few showers, mainly across Skye and Knoydart. Outbreaks of rain spread north through the afternoon, turning heavy around dusk, often sleet or wet snow above 1000m. Turning largely dry with a few showers south of the Assynt hills towards midnight.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10%
Low cloud and visibility
Very poor visibility for much of the day in persistent cloud, often down to lower slopes. However, cloud bases occasionally lifting across western coastal hills to 800-1000m at times in the afternoon.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Persistent rain and summit snow clear the far north after midnight. Otherwise, patchy cloud with a few scattered showers in the early hours and to start the day. Showers turn heavier and more frequent in the morning, with a slight chance of thunder across western coastal hills, showers merging to longer spells of rain in the south for a few hours, but northern hills drier with sunny spells. Showers easing in the evening, dry by midnight.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10% in the south, 40% in the north.
Maximum wind speed expected
Southwest 30 gusting 40 mph increasing to 45 gusting 50-55 mph in the afternoon.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 3 Celsius.
- Glen Plus 2 Celsius rising to 6 Celsius.
- Freezing level 1200-1300m.
Low cloud and visibility
Very poor visibility in frequent low cloud across southern hills, bases 500m, occasionally lower slopes where showers merge. Occasionally good visibility in the north where cloud more broken up with bases 700m.
Mountain weather information
Tue 9 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A very windy day with a high chance of storm force southwest winds across the tops, gales to lower levels. Outbreaks of often heavy rain throughout. Freezing levels above the summits.
Wed 10 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Storm force southwesterly summit winds and heavy rain, slowly easing through the day as winds turn northwesterly. Freezing level above the summits, lowering to 1000m late evening.
Thu 11 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A dry bright start, but southerly winds increasing through the day with rain later. Freezing level 900m, rising above the summits.
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