Mountain weather

Mountain weather

Southwest Highlands

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Confidence

Unsettled and often windy with summit gales towards the end of the week, blustery Autumnal conditions. Some brighter weather to be found mainly further east with the weather moving in from the Atlantic. Uncertainties in cloud details and amount of showers on any day.

Sunrise: Sunset:
Sunrise: Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.

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.

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.
Updated: 
Mountain hazards explained

Mountain weather forecast

Dry and bright start in the east, becoming showery everywhere, strong westerly winds, summit gales likely.

Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
 Weather symbols Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Partly cloudy (night)
Chance of
precipitation
(at 800m)
 Chance of precipitation
50%
70%
70%
70%
70%
40%

Wind direction and speed

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1300m
 1300m SW 44mph knots
SW
44mph
 SW 40mph knots
SW
40mph
 SW 44mph knots
SW
44mph
 W 41mph knots
W
41mph
 SW 45mph knots
SW
45mph
 SW 41mph knots
SW
41mph
900m
 900m SW 29mph knots
SW
29mph
 SW 27mph knots
SW
27mph
 W 32mph knots
W
32mph
 W 30mph knots
W
30mph
 W 29mph knots
W
29mph
 W 26mph knots
W
26mph
600m
 600m SW 37mph knots
SW
37mph
 SW 32mph knots
SW
32mph
 SW 37mph knots
SW
37mph
 SW 34mph knots
SW
34mph
 SW 34mph knots
SW
34mph
 SW 29mph knots
SW
29mph
300m
 300m SW 18mph knots
SW
18mph
 SW 18mph knots
SW
18mph
 SW 19mph knots
SW
19mph
 W 19mph knots
W
19mph
 SW 17mph knots
SW
17mph
 SW 14mph knots
SW
14mph
Glen
 Glen SW 10mph knots
SW
10mph
 SW 12mph knots
SW
12mph
 SW 14mph knots
SW
14mph
 W 12mph knots
W
12mph
 SW 13mph knots
SW
13mph
 SW 11mph knots
SW
11mph

Wind gust

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1300m
 1300m 53mph 49mph 55mph 52mph 56mph 51mph
900m
 900m 37mph 36mph 42mph 40mph 39mph 35mph
600m
 600m 45mph 41mph 46mph 43mph 44mph 38mph
300m
 300m 27mph 27mph 29mph 30mph 27mph 23mph
Glen
 Glen 24mph 26mph 30mph 27mph 28mph 25mph

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
1300m
 1300m -5 degrees Celsius -5 degrees Celsius -4 degrees Celsius -5 degrees Celsius -6 degrees Celsius -6 degrees Celsius
900m
 900m -1 degrees Celsius 0 degrees Celsius 0 degrees Celsius 0 degrees Celsius -1 degrees Celsius -1 degrees Celsius
600m
 600m 2 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius 2 degrees Celsius
300m
 300m 6 degrees Celsius 7 degrees Celsius 7 degrees Celsius 6 degrees Celsius 6 degrees Celsius 6 degrees Celsius
Glen
 Glen 9 degrees Celsius 10 degrees Celsius 10 degrees Celsius 10 degrees Celsius 9 degrees Celsius 9 degrees Celsius
Freezing Level Freezing Level
1600m
1600m
1700m
1700m
1600m
1600m

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Summit gales likely with gusty winds around showers especially for the northern Munros of Lochaber

Weather

Showers in the west overnight, clear spells in the east. A bright start around eastern hills but a few showers for western ranges. The general theme will be a showery day with showers grouping together at times in the west to give longer spells of rain, some bright and dry weather at times for eastern hills. Becoming very blustery by late morning with summit gales likely in the afternoon and feeling quite chilly for the time of year.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

30% in the west, 50% in the east. Best chance of clear summits likely for ranges in the Trossachs.

Low cloud and visibility

Patches of low cloud above 600m to start the day but as showers become more frequent cloud will gather and lower in more persistent showers with periods of low cloud above 400m, the best conditions will be found in the east with a good chance of some summit views across the ranges at times. Visibility will be good outwith showers turning moderate in heavier shower and perhaps poor for a time in the west in extended showers.

Ground conditions

No recent ground conditions report available.

Summit specific forecast

Including Ben Nevis, Glen Coe and the rest of Lochaber, Argyll including the Isles, Loch Lomond, Trossachs and Arran

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