Mountain weather
Northwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for trend to changeable but milder southwesterly type, medium for daily details, lower on Sunday.
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.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Cloudy, some occasional light rain and hill snow developing. Less windy but still a strong south or southeasterly on the summits.
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
20% | 20% | 20% | 40% | 30% | 50% |
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
26
|
SE
33
|
S
28
|
S
30
|
S
32
|
S
35
|
| 900m |
SE
22
|
SE
28
|
S
24
|
S
27
|
S
30
|
S
32
|
| 600m |
SE
14
|
SE
16
|
S
17
|
S
17
|
S
17
|
S
19
|
| 300m |
E
0
|
SE
1
|
S
2
|
S
2
|
S
2
|
S
3
|
| Glen |
E
6
|
E
4
|
SE
4
|
SE
5
|
E
6
|
S
7
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m | 30 | 38 | 33 | 36 | 40 | 43 |
| 900m | 26 | 32 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 40 |
| 600m | 17 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 27 |
| 300m | 14 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 22 |
| Glen | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 20 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-4°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
| 900m |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
| 300m |
1°
|
1°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
| Glen |
4°
|
4°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
| Freezing Level |
300m
|
400m
|
500m
|
500m
|
600m
|
700m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000m |
-12°
|
-13°
|
-12°
|
-12°
|
-12°
|
-12°
|
| 900m |
-11°
|
-11°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
| 600m |
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
| 300m |
-1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
| Glen |
1°
|
3°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Note the very low feels like temperatures on the summits.
Weather
The day will be cloudy, but it should be mainly dry in the morning, just the odd light wintry flurry, snow above 200-300m. The light rain and hill snow becoming a little more widespread later in the day snow becoming more confined to ground above 400m.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
60%, falling 30% in evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Cloud bases mainly broken at 900m or above with patches to 750m, and some higher layers. During the afternoon and evening bases more widely dropping to 750m with some patches to 600m. Away from cloud, visibility mostly good, if not sparkling, and falling in any slightly heavier patches of rain, drizzle or snow.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Starting dry in early hours but cloudy with heavy rain with snow above 500-600m late in the night and at first in the morning with brief summit blizzards. The snow level rising to 900m or above by mid morning then the rain turning more showery in the afternoon with some drier brighter interludes. Further showers in the evening, occasionally heavy, snow on highest summits.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10% in morning rising 40% during the afternoon
Maximum wind speed expected
Southerly veering West or Southwest 40 gusts 60mph, a little stronger in the far north.
Temperature
- At 800m Minus 2 rising to Plus 2 Celsius
- Glen Plus 2 rising to Plus 8 Celsius
- Freezing level 600m rising to 1100m
Low cloud and visibility
Extensive cloud at 400-600m in morning with poor visibility in rain and snow, then cloud lifting 750-900m in afternoon with patches to 600m in showers. Visibility then improving to good away from cloud and showers, occasionally poor in further showers.
Mountain weather information
Sat 21 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A dry start then cloudy with spells of rain, preceded by summit snow before freezing levels rise above summits, and some hill fog. Strong to gale southwesterly winds. Turning clearer in evening with passing showers reverting to snow above 900m.
Sun 22 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mainly cloudy with frequent showers, with snow above 900m, strong to gale westerly winds.
Mon 23 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A brighter day with sunny intervals and passing showers, falling as snow above 750m. Fresh to strong southwesterly winds. Gales and rain perhaps arriving in evening.
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