The day on the hill
Strong gusts on Càrn na Drochaide: summit wind broadly 25-50 mph, with gusts 60-70 mph at times (gale-force mean winds at times).
Wind & exposure
Much calmer lower down - generally 20-30 mph in the valley, rising towards the tops.
Cloud & views
Cloud base around 500–800 m in the morning, then around 1600–1900 m around midday and 1000–1300 m by late afternoon. Summit cloud is extensive early, becoming less frequent later.
Cloud-height uncertainty could put the summit in or out of cloud. Clear spells may be difficult to time.
Cloud may hang lower on northwestern slopes and lift somewhat on the southeastern side, but local terrain can differ. Sunny spells are possible away from summit cloud, but may not reach the top while it is in cloud.
Rain & temperature
Little or no rain is forecast. Cold on exposed tops: air temperature broadly 2 to 6°C, feeling around -4 to 0°C in the wind.
Forecast models differ on summit wind strength: around 43-49 mph at walker height, with gusts 60-69 mph.
Forecast confidence
Cloud height remains uncertain, especially where it is close to summit level. Keep windproof and warm layers readily available.
The strongest gusts could knock you over on exposed ground. Avoid exposed ridges and edges.
Cloud-height uncertainty could put the summit in or out of cloud, even where forecasts agree on the wider cloud cover.
Cloud-free timing: Around 15% early, improving to around 70% later.
Sunshine context Model-grid estimate, not summit sunshine
The surrounding model grid indicates 7.1 h of sunshine. This is not a forecast of time in sunshine on the summit. Use the cloud and views outlook above for the conditions on this mountain.
- Early
- 1 h
- Midday
- 4 h
- Later
- Less than 1 hour
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaGusts near 35 mph make meaningful shelter important. 59/100Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
Open-hillside camping looks mixed overall around 600 m (59/100). Open-ground gusts may reach about 35 mph. Seek meaningful shelter. Peak gusts range from about 30 mph at 300 m to 35 mph at 600 m. A little rain may coincide with pitching or packing up. Some condensation is possible overnight.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 70%
- Moonrise
- 17:47 BST
- Moonset
- 23:40 BST
Extensive cloud may limit moonlight. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 20 Sep, 17:00 BST to 21 Sep, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 14 mph / 28 mph
- Typical / low
- 8.2°C / 6.6°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
- Wind / gust
- 16 mph / 34 mph
- Typical / low
- 8.2°C / 6.6°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a 3-season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 4°C. Allow more margin if you sleep cold or expect fatigue, and use an adequate insulated mat. Dampness is possible, so keep the sleep system dry and ensure its insulation remains effective if damp.
Open-hillside reference. A sheltered pitch may be calmer; cols and ridges may be much windier. Tent design and the exact pitch still matter. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.
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Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaRock may be damp or still drying. Gusts near 55 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. Poor7/100 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Conditions for exposed scrambling look very poor (7/100). Some rock may still be damp or drying, especially on polished slabs and vegetated sections. The mapped summit rock is Psammite (Glen Spean Subgroup). Dry quartz-rich bands can be grippy, while mica-rich or foliated sections, lichen and vegetation may become slippery when wet. Gusts may reach about 55 mph. Crosswinds can make exposed ridges substantially more serious.
Dry quartz-rich bands can be grippy, while mica-rich or foliated sections, lichen and vegetation may become slippery when wet. Summit-point bedrock mapping; the actual route may cross different rock, superficial deposits, polish, lichen or seepage.
Generic exposed scrambling terrain; mapped summit-point bedrock is included where available, but route grade, exact rock, polish, drainage and escape options remain unresolved. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.
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Overnight · Aurora, stars & meteorsAfter darkBetaClearer spells are possible, but other forecasts keep much of the sky obscured by cloud. View forecastClose forecast
After dark: aurora and stargazing
Night beginning 2026-09-20. All times are UK local time.
Stargazing
Mixed sky conditions during the best available spell: 21 Sep, 03:00 BST to 04:00 BST.
Clearer spells are possible, but other forecasts keep much of the sky obscured by cloud.
Moon-free dark sky: 20 Sep, 23:30 BST to 21 Sep, 04:45 BST.
Sky conditions through the night
| Time | Viewing conditions |
|---|---|
| 20 Sep, 21:30 BST to 22:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 20 Sep, 22:00 BST to 23:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 20 Sep, 23:00 BST to 21 Sep, 00:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 00:00 BST to 01:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 01:00 BST to 02:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 02:00 BST to 03:00 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
| 21 Sep, 03:00 BST to 04:00 BST | Mixed sky conditions Clearer spells are possible, but other forecasts keep much of the sky obscured by cloud. Forecast models disagree. |
| 21 Sep, 04:00 BST to 04:45 BST | Poor sky conditions Cloud is likely to obscure much of the sky. |
Moon, darkness and meteor showers
Gibbous moon, about 69% illuminated.
Moonrise around 20 Sep, 17:55 BST.
Moonset around 20 Sep, 23:30 BST.
Full darkness: 20 Sep, 21:30 BST to 21 Sep, 04:45 BST.
Moon times assume an open horizon. Hills can hide the Moon sooner. Moon-free does not mean cloud-free.
Southern Taurids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
- Draconids: peak around 9 October 2026.
- Southern Taurids: peak around 10 October 2026.
- Orionids: peak around 21 October 2026.
- Northern Taurids: peak around 12 November 2026.
- Leonids: peak around 18 November 2026.
- Geminids: peak around 14 December 2026.
- Ursids: peak around 22 December 2026.
Dates from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Activity dates do not guarantee visible meteors. Look across a broad, dark sky, not only north.
Darkness of the surroundings
Estimated darkness rank 344 of 980 assessed peaks (1 is darkest), based on surrounding artificial light in 2021. This is not a measurement of tonight’s sky.
2021 artificial-light baseline, not measured sky brightness or a Bortle class. Changes to lighting, blue-rich LEDs, terrain screening, atmospheric scattering and cloud-reflected light are not resolved. Similar ranks are not meaningfully distinct. Darkness is not a recommendation to climb a summit at night.
VIIRS nighttime lights: Earth Observation Group, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines. Reprocessed by OpenGeoHub/OpenLandMap. Cropped and ranked by Mountain Weather.
Sky-weather grades exclude light pollution, terrain and thin haze. They are not mountain safety ratings. Check the mountain and camping forecast separately. Accessible lower viewpoints may be a better choice than summits.
Recommended kit for this dayWeather-aware packing prompts, plus your core hillwalking kitView kit
For a day hillwalk, not a complete route-specific checklist. Carry navigation and backup you can use, warm and waterproof layers, suitable footwear, food and water, a headtorch, emergency shelter, first aid and a way to call for help. Snow, ice, technical terrain and overnight trips need additional equipment and skills.
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