Mountain weather
Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for unsettled, often cold east or southeasterly airstream through the weekend. Lower for details, and for the general weather early next week.
This evening forecast
The Trossachs and Arrochar overcast with widespread hill fog and occasional mainly light rain and hill snow, more persistent over the Trossachs with the snow above 300-400m. Elsewhere, while cloudy with some hill fog, other than the odd light flurry it will be mainly dry. Strong to gale easterly winds, severe summit gales.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 weather forecast
Mostly cloudy with hill fog, and patchy outbreaks of rain and hill snow becoming more persistent in the south in the afternoon. Easterly gales.
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
20% | 20% | 30% | 30% | 40% | 40% | 00% | 40% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
E
45
|
E
43
|
E
48
|
E
43
|
E
35
|
E
31
|
E
32
|
E
31
|
| 900m |
E
33
|
E
31
|
E
31
|
E
31
|
E
30
|
E
28
|
E
28
|
E
28
|
| 600m |
NE
38
|
NE
36
|
NE
36
|
NE
36
|
E
33
|
E
31
|
NE
25
|
E
26
|
| 300m |
N
16
|
N
16
|
N
14
|
N
14
|
NE
12
|
NE
12
|
NE
13
|
N
13
|
| Glen |
NE
10
|
NE
11
|
NE
10
|
NE
10
|
NE
13
|
NE
14
|
NE
12
|
NE
11
|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m | 55 | 52 | 58 | 53 | 44 | 39 | 40 | 40 |
| 900m | 46 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 42 | 40 | 41 | 41 |
| 600m | 47 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 41 | 39 | 33 | 34 |
| 300m | 22 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
| Glen | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 24 | 24 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-7°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-6°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
| 900m |
-3°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
| 300m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
| Glen |
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
| Freezing Level |
400m
|
400m
|
400m
|
500m
|
500m
|
600m
|
600m
|
600m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-19°
|
-19°
|
-20°
|
-20°
|
-18°
|
-16°
|
-16°
|
-14°
|
| 900m |
-12°
|
-13°
|
-13°
|
-13°
|
-12°
|
-11°
|
-11°
|
-11°
|
| 600m |
-9°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-10°
|
-8°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
| 300m |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| Glen |
1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Note the very low feels like temperatures
Weather
Lochaber and west Argyll mainly dry, some morning bright spells especially over Mull. Elsewhere overcast with some patchy, mainly light rain and snow, the snow above 400m lifting to 600m later. More persistent over the Trossachs and Arrochar, later also Arran with a few heavier bursts there.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
Ranging from little chance in Trossachs to 80% over Mull.
Low cloud and visibility
Extensive cloud at 600-750m in the Trossachs across to Arrochar and Arran, bases higher in the northwest at 900m and should be well broken at this height around Mull and Northwest Lochaber. Visibility away from cloud occasionally poor in drizzle or snow, but mainly good in the northwest.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Mainly cloudy with some outbreaks of rain, with snow above 600m, mainly light but quite heavy in morning in Trossachs. In the afternoon rain turning light and patchy, snow becoming confined to above 900m, and a few sunny intervals should break through in the northwest.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10% for most but 60% in northwest
Maximum wind speed expected
Southeasterly 30 gusts 45mph
Temperature
- At 800m Minus 1 rising to Plus 2 Celsius
- Glen Plus 4 rising to Plus 6 Celsius
- Freezing level 700m rising to 1000m
Low cloud and visibility
Extensive cloud at 500-750m but bases nearer 900m in northwest and increasingly broken in the afternoon. Away from hill fog due to cloud, some poor morning visibility in rain and snow especially in Trossachs, becoming mainly good away from any lighter patches left over in the afternoon especially in the northwest.
Mountain weather information
Sun 8 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Cloudy with further rain, mainly light and occasional but some heavier outbreaks mainly in Trossachs with snow above 700m. Fresh southeasterly winds.
Mon 9 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Rather cloudy with patchy rain but some drier brighter interludes. Snow above 900m. Fresh southerly winds.
Tue 10 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A return to southeasterly winds and occasional rain more persistent in the east of the area with snow restricted to the very highest summits.
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
Loading map…
Key
Mountain summits
Other points of interest
Cluster of multiple stations
Including Ben Nevis, Glen Coe and the rest of Lochaber, Argyll including the Isles, Loch Lomond, Trossachs and Arran
For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service