Mountain weather

Southwest Highlands

Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High confidence for overall setup of southeasterly flow and for the cloudy, cold and often wet conditions to continue. Lower confidence for exact detail of rain and snow levels.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Mostly dry and cloudy with a few spots of rain and hill snow in the east. Strong southeasterly winds, perhaps reaching gale force on highest summits. Feeling very cold.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.
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 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

Cloudy with rain and snow in east. Drier with bright spells west. Very cold with gale force winds.

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Light snow Light snow Cloudy Light snow Light snow Cloudy Light snow Light snow
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
40% 40% 20% 40% 40% 20% 40% 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 SE
28
E
35
E
39
NE
44
E
46
E
48
E
43
E
39
900m SE
23
E
22
E
22
E
23
E
28
E
32
E
33
E
31
600m SE
15
E
22
NE
20
NE
21
NE
27
E
33
E
33
E
31
300m N
7
NE
9
NE
12
NE
12
NE
15
NE
15
NE
15
NE
14
Glen N
3
E
8
NE
10
NE
10
NE
13
NE
13
NE
14
NE
14
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 35 43 49 55 58 61 57 52
900m 32 32 35 36 43 48 49 48
600m 20 29 28 30 38 45 46 43
300m 11 16 19 20 24 26 26 25
Glen 9 19 22 23 26 27 29 29

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-3°
-3°
-4°
-5°
-5°
-6°
-7°
-7°
900m
-1°
-1°
-1°
-2°
-2°
-2°
-3°
-4°
600m
-1°
300m
Glen
Freezing Level
800m
800m
700m
600m
600m
500m
400m
300m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
1300m
-12°
-13°
-15°
-16°
-16°
-18°
-18°
-18°
900m
-8°
-8°
-8°
-9°
-10°
-12°
-12°
-13°
600m
-3°
-4°
-5°
-6°
-6°
-8°
-9°
-9°
300m
-1°
-2°
-3°
-3°
Glen

Additional weather information

Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view

A very cold day with gale to storm force winds which will make for difficult walking conditions and risk of being blown over. Best of the dry and brighter weather in the northwest but care still needs to be taken with strong winds and low temperatures.

Weather

Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and snow. This mainly in the east with much of the west dry, bright spells in northwest. Snow falling initially above 700m but snow level falling to 200m by end of the day. Gale force winds may reach storm force on highest summits.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

Nil in east, 40% southwest, 60% northwest.

Low cloud and visibility

Low cloud with base 600-800m. This widespread in east but more occasional in west with best of any breaks and clear spells in the northwest. Visibility good outside of cloud, very poor in cloud, rain and snow.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain and snow in the east but drier and brighter in west, particularly northwest. Some rain spreading north in the evening over Argyll and Bute. Snow falling to 300m at first then 600m by end of the day. Gale force easterly winds with severe wind chill.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

Nil in east, 40% southwest, 60% northwest.

Maximum wind speed expected

Easterly 40-50mph gusting 50-60mph.

Temperature

  • At 800m Minus 3 Celsius.
  • Glen Plus 4 Celsius.
  • Freezing level 300m rising to around 600m by end of day.

Low cloud and visibility

Low cloud with base 600-800m. This widespread in southeast but more occasional in west with best of any breaks and clear spells in the northwest. Visibility good outisde of cloud, very poor in cloud, rain and snow.

Mountain weather information

Sat 7 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and snow. Rain most persistent in east, drier brighter spells in west. Strong to gale force southeasterly winds. Freezing level 600m rising to 1000m.

Sun 8 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and snow. Rain most persistent in east, drier brighter spells in west. Strong southeasterly winds. Freezing level 1000m.

Mon 9 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Perhaps a drier day with the odd spot of rain. Fresh southeasterly winds. Freezing level 900m.

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