Mountain weather
Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence in unsettled weather continuing. High confidence in colder temperatures from midweek but low confidence in timing.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heavy rain at times. Dry spells, showers later.
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
80% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 40% | 50% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
NE
21
|
E
16
|
SE
15
|
S
18
|
S
18
|
SE
18
|
| 900m |
E
13
|
E
10
|
S
11
|
S
13
|
S
13
|
SE
13
|
| 600m |
NE
15
|
NE
11
|
SE
8
|
SW
15
|
S
15
|
SE
11
|
| 300m |
N
7
|
NE
5
|
E
4
|
S
7
|
S
6
|
SE
6
|
| Glen |
NE
5
|
NE
4
|
S
1
|
S
6
|
S
2
|
NE
2
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m | 25 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 23 |
| 900m | 22 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 |
| 600m | 18 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 14 |
| 300m | 11 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Glen | 16 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
| 900m |
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
| 600m |
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| 300m |
5°
|
4°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
| Glen |
7°
|
6°
|
7°
|
7°
|
7°
|
7°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,100m
|
1,100m
|
1,100m
|
1,100m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-8°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-8°
|
-8°
|
-9°
|
| 900m |
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
| 600m |
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
| 300m |
2°
|
2°
|
4°
|
3°
|
4°
|
3°
|
| Glen |
5°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Windy conditions on the highest summits at first will make for fairly arduous walking on exposed terrain with buffeting of clothing. Balance may be affected at times.
Weather
Organised bands of rain spread north through the morning, heavy at times. Staying cloudy but with lighter rain or drizzle in the early afternoon. More by way of drier interludes in the late afternoon and evening, but remaining cloudy with further outbreaks of rain, heavy at times. Rain will turn wintry over the very highest summits, above around 1100m.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20% or less, best chances in the evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Mostly widespread cloud down to 300-500m or so and poor visibilities in hill fog and outbreaks of rain but staying drier with limited chance of clear summits for Moidart and the island ranges. Chance of limited and temporary clearer spells developing elsewhere between showers from late afternoon.
Mountain weather information
Weather
It will be another mostly cloudy day with further spells of showery rain spreading north.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
30%.
Maximum wind speed expected
Southeast backing east, 20-30mph, perhaps gusting 40mph in places.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 0C to plus 2C.
- Glen Plus 4C rising to plus 8C.
- Freezing level Around 1100m.
Low cloud and visibility
Quite widespread cloud down to 400-600m and visibilities falling poor in hill fog and showers, though some temporary and transient clearer breaks may develop between showers at times.
Mountain weather information
Tue 10 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Cloudy with quite persistent rain. Freezing level around 800-1000m. Strong southeast winds.
Wed 11 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Further cloud and rain and summit snow. Freezing level falling to around 600-800m Strong to gale southeast winds.
Thu 12 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Cloudy with further outbreaks of rain and summit snow. Freezing level falling to around 400-600m. Strong to gale southeast winds.
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
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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