Mountain weather

Southwest Highlands

Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High confidence in often unsettled weather, but low confidence in details from Monday onwards.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Quite widespread cloud down to 500m or so with outbreaks of snow, rain below 400-500m, for much of the area with associated poor visibilities. Drier and brighter towards the more sheltered northwest with occasionally clear summits and good visibilities and only patches of cloud around 700m. Feeling bitterly cold. Easterly winds 40-50mph, perhaps gusting around 60mph.

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 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 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. Rain, summit snow in morning. Drier around midday. More rain later. Cold.

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Light snow Overcast Light snow Light snow Cloudy Cloudy Heavy rain Heavy rain
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
60% 50% 60% 70% 50% 40% 60% 60%

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
29
E
32
E
33
E
31
E
28
E
24
E
27
E
26
900m E
25
E
24
E
22
E
21
E
19
E
18
E
18
E
18
600m NE
23
NE
21
NE
20
NE
18
E
16
E
15
NE
14
E
14
300m NE
13
N
11
NE
12
N
10
NE
9
NE
8
NE
7
NE
7
Glen NE
10
NE
9
NE
8
NE
8
NE
9
E
7
NE
6
NE
5
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 36 39 40 38 35 29 34 33
900m 38 35 33 31 29 27 27 27
600m 30 28 27 25 23 21 20 20
300m 19 17 18 16 15 13 12 12
Glen 23 22 20 20 18 16 15 13

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-5°
-4°
-4°
-4°
-3°
-2°
-2°
-2°
900m
-2°
-2°
-2°
-1°
600m
300m
Glen
Freezing Level
500m
500m
600m
700m
800m
1,000m
1,100m
1,200m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-14°
-14°
-14°
-13°
-12°
-10°
-10°
-10°
900m
-10°
-10°
-9°
-8°
-7°
-6°
-6°
-6°
600m
-6°
-6°
-6°
-5°
-3°
-2°
-2°
-2°
300m
-2°
-1°
-1°
Glen

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

Gale-force gusts at height in the morning will give very difficult walking conditions with progress highly impeded and a significant risk of being blown over, but winds gradually ease through the day. Feeling bitterly cold at height so suitable clothing is advised.

Weather

Cloudy throughout the morning with outbreaks of rain and summit snow, the freezing level rising from 400-500m at first to around 700m by midday, and 1000m by mid-afternoon. A drier spell possible around midday and early afternoon, before further showery rain spreads north later. Staying driest in the more sheltered northwest, but a chance of rain anywhere across the region.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

20% or less, only reasonable chance in the northwest

Low cloud and visibility

For most of the area cloud will be widespread down to 300m or so and visibilities poor in hill fog, snow and then rain. Cloud a bit more broken at around 600-800m over the more sheltered northwest with occasional windows of clear summits and good visibilities.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Cloudy with showery outbreaks of rain spreading north throughout the day, heavy at times.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

30%

Maximum wind speed expected

Southeast veering southerly, gusting up to 30-40mph

Temperature

  • At 800m 0C to plus 2C.
  • Glen Plus 3C rising to plus 8C.
  • Freezing level Around 1200m.

Low cloud and visibility

Quite extensive cloud down to 400-600m and visibilities falling poor in hill fog, and outbreaks of heavy rain. Some temporary breaks between showers allowing clearer spells to develop at times.

Mountain weather information

Mon 9 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Dry spells and a few showers. Freezing level around 1000m. Light to moderate southeast winds.

Tue 10 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Further dry spells and a few showers. Freshening southeasterly winds. Freezing level around 800-1000m.

Wed 11 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Persistent rain and summit snow spread north through the day. Moderate to strong east to southeast winds.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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