Mountain weather
Southwest Highlands Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence in conditions remaining unsettled with rain or showers and occasionally strong winds.
This evening forecast
Scattered showers feed in from the west, these wintry above 800-900m and heavy at times with a small chance of lightning. Cloud falling to around 800-1000m in showers. Cloud becomes more extensive and showers more frequent shortly before midnight. Feeling bitterly cold in strong south to southwest winds, gusts over 50mph over the highest summits.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Cloudy, frequent showers. Rain evening. Cold and windy.
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
90% | 50% | 20% | 60% | 70% | 40% | 30% | 90% |
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 |
S
41
|
S
33
|
S
39
|
SW
41
|
SW
43
|
SW
44
|
SW
42
|
S
35
|
| 900m |
S
28
|
SW
23
|
S
28
|
SW
29
|
SW
31
|
SW
32
|
SW
30
|
SW
26
|
| 600m |
S
39
|
S
30
|
S
36
|
SW
37
|
SW
37
|
SW
38
|
SW
35
|
S
31
|
| 300m |
S
20
|
S
15
|
S
18
|
S
19
|
SW
20
|
SW
20
|
SW
17
|
S
15
|
| Glen |
S
12
|
SW
11
|
S
11
|
SW
13
|
SW
15
|
SW
16
|
SW
13
|
SW
10
|
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 | 51 | 41 | 49 | 52 | 54 | 55 | 52 | 44 |
| 900m | 37 | 32 | 38 | 39 | 42 | 43 | 41 | 35 |
| 600m | 47 | 36 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 45 | 39 |
| 300m | 29 | 23 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 25 |
| Glen | 26 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 27 | 22 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
| 900m |
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
| 600m |
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
| 300m |
5°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
7°
|
7°
|
6°
|
7°
|
| Glen |
7°
|
7°
|
7°
|
8°
|
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
9°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,100m
|
1,200m
|
1,400m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1300m |
-12°
|
-11°
|
-11°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-8°
|
| 900m |
-7°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
-6°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
-6°
|
-4°
|
| 600m |
-5°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
| 300m |
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
| Glen |
3°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
6°
|
Additional weather information
Met Office Aberdeen meteorologist's view
Gusts of 40-50mph, 50-60mph over the very highest summits, will give difficult walking conditions with a risk of being blown off balance. Navigation could be challenging with energy output significantly increased when walking into the wind. Feeling bitterly cold in strong winds and frequent wintry showers.
Weather
Cloudy through much of the day with frequent showers feeding in from the west, wintry over the highest summits and heavy at times. Showers become less frequent for a time in the afternoon/early evening, before rain spreads east later.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
30% or less, best chances late afternoon/early evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Fairly extensive areas of cloud down to 700-900m and visibilities falling poor in scattered showers in the west. Cloud well broken and visibilities good in the sheltered northeast. Increasing breaks developing in the late afternoon, before becoming overcast from the west again in the evening.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Widespread low cloud with outbreaks of rain through the day, these heavy and persistent at times. Strong winds, widespread summit gales. Feeling milder.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
Little chance.
Maximum wind speed expected
Southwest gusting 50-60mph at height, in excess of 70mph over the very highest summits.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 4 to plus 8 Celsius
- Glen Plus 8 to plus 11 Celsius.
- Freezing level Well above summits.
Low cloud and visibility
Widespread cloud down to 200-400m with visibilities falling poor in hill fog and outbreaks of rain.
Mountain weather information
Tue 4 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Strong southwest winds. Some showers - chance of prolonged spells of rain - heavy at times. Freezing level above summits.
Wed 5 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Likely dry morning, then rain later with freshening south to southeast winds. Freezing level above summits.
Thu 6 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Showers or perhaps longer spells of rain. Fresh to strong southwest winds. Freezing level above summits.
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