Mountain weather

Southwest Highlands

Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High confidence for unsettled and cold conditions with snow on the high ground at times. Confidence in rainfall detail over the weekend is low.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Outbreaks of evening rain turns to scattered showers. Showers become frequent and fall as snow to 500m in the late evening lowering to 300m later. Strong westerly summit 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 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.

hazard Heavy Persistent Snow
Heavy snow can lead to rapid changes in underfoot conditions and paths may become treacherous or hidden. It also brings very poor visibility and often makes navigation much more challenging. When deep snow accumulates progress is often time consuming and strenuous, significantly affecting the distance one can travel on foot. Deep drifts can develop if snow is combined with strong winds. A heightened avalanche risk is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
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 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.
hazard 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.
hazard 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

Frequent, heavy and blustery snow showers ease during the afternoon. Strong west to northwest summit winds.

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Light snow shower (night) Heavy snow shower (night) Heavy snow shower (night) Heavy snow shower (day) Heavy snow shower (day) Light snow shower (day) Light snow shower (day) Light snow shower (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
30% 70% 90% 80% 60% 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
1300m W
35
W
29
W
35
W
32
NW
28
NW
26
N
29
W
28
900m W
20
W
17
W
20
W
20
NW
16
NW
18
NW
15
NW
12
600m SW
19
SW
21
SW
22
W
19
NW
17
NW
18
N
17
W
14
300m W
12
SW
10
SW
12
W
12
NW
11
NW
15
NW
9
W
7
Glen W
7
W
8
W
8
W
10
NW
9
NW
11
NW
6
W
3
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 42 34 41 38 34 33 35 33
900m 25 24 26 25 21 25 22 17
600m 24 26 27 24 22 24 22 18
300m 17 16 18 18 17 22 13 11
Glen 17 18 19 22 17 19 11 8

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-6°
-6°
-7°
-6°
-7°
-6°
-7°
-7°
900m
-3°
-3°
-4°
-4°
-3°
-3°
-4°
-5°
600m
-1°
-2°
-2°
-1°
-2°
300m
Glen
Freezing Level
500m
400m
300m
200m
300m
300m
300m
200m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-16°
-16°
-18°
-17°
-16°
-15°
-17°
-17°
900m
-10°
-10°
-12°
-11°
-10°
-10°
-10°
-11°
600m
-7°
-8°
-9°
-9°
-7°
-7°
-8°
-7°
300m
-2°
-3°
-4°
-5°
-2°
-3°
-3°
-3°
Glen
-2°

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Conditions slowly improve during the afternoon but bitterly cold conditions with strong winds and snow showers will still be encountered at times.

Weather

Cloudy with frequent and blustery showers, these heavy at times and falling as snow to 300m at first. The showers become more isolated as the freezing level lowers to 200m during the afternoon.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

40% with the best chance during the afternoon.

Low cloud and visibility

Broken cloud 700-800m will lower 500-600m in snow showers with the generally good visibility falling poor in snow showers.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

The odd snow shower at first in the early morning will clear to leave a mostly dry and bright day. Cloud will increase and lower during the afternoon with rain following from the west later. This will fall as snow above 600m at first but will turn to rain later.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

60% increasing 80% for a time in the afternoon, lowering 30% later.

Maximum wind speed expected

Northwest 25-30mph gust 40mph winds soon ease to west 10-15mph then increase southwest 25-30mph gust 40mph during the afternoon.

Temperature

  • At 800m Minus 2C.
  • Glen Minus 2C rising plus 7C.
  • Freezing level 200m rising 600m by the evening.

Low cloud and visibility

Broken cloud 800-1000m will become patchy for a time before extensive cloud lowers to 500-600m towards the evening. The visibility will be good, falling poor in snow showers then rain later.

Mountain weather information

Fri 27 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Outbreaks of rain, turning to wintry showers. Near gale southwest summit winds. Freezing level 800m lowers to 400m later.

Sat 28 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Heavy snow showers, clearing from the morning. Gale westerly summit winds Freezing level 400m rises to 800m later.

Sun 29 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Outbreaks of heavy rain spread east from the morning. Gale southwest summit winds. Freezing level 500m.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

Loading map…

For snow and avalanche hazard forecasts please visit Scottish Avalanche Information Service