The day on the hill
A fine day on Sgùrr Alasdair: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind
On the summit expect light winds of up to 10 mph, mainly south-easterly, with gusts of 5–15 mph at the windiest.
Cloud and visibility
The tops are likely to stay mostly clear of cloud, though brief patches cannot be ruled out. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views as long as the tops stay clear.
Rain and ground
It should stay dry.
Warmth and kit
On the tops it will be around 0 to 4°C, feeling like -2 to 2°C in the wind. The freezing level is above the summits. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.
Daylight
A short day, with only about 9 hours of daylight. Sunset is around 4:30pm, so allow time to get off the hill before dark, and carry a head torch.
Sunshine context Model-grid estimate, not summit sunshine
The surrounding model grid indicates 0 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
- 0 h
- Midday
- 0 h
- Later
- 0 h
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaA very good night for a wild camp: dry, with light winds. 88Excellent · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
A very good night for a wild camp. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 9 mph. It should stay dry. A cold night, down to about 0°C around 900 m. A 3-season bag rated to about 2°C comfort, and a warm mat, should do. Allow more if you sleep cold.
Moon overnight
Waning crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 5%
- Moonrise
- 05:48 next morning GMT
- Moonset
- Outside this window
Cloud may affect views of the Moon. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 6 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 7 Nov, 08:00 GMT. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 4 mph / 7 mph
- Typical / low
- 5.1°C / 4.6°C · several hours
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 4 mph / 8 mph
- Typical / low
- 5.1°C / 4.6°C · several hours
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 5 mph / 9 mph
- Typical / low
- 1.4°C / 0.1°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a 3-season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 2°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.
Did this match your night?Share a quick observation to help improve this beta forecast.Give feedback
Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaExcellent conditions for exposed scrambling. Excellent95 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Excellent conditions for exposed scrambling. The rock should be mostly dry, though drainage lines and shaded holds may still be damp. The rock around the summit is mostly dolerite, a hard, dark, fine-grained rock. It grips well when dry and is fair when wet. It is usually solid, but it often breaks into blocky columns, so check blocks before you pull on them. On the usual routes up you may also cross gabbro, which has superb grip when dry and still grips well when wet. These are general notes for each rock type, taken from geological maps around the summit, so the rock on your line may differ.
Dolerite is a hard, dark, fine-grained rock. It grips well when dry and is fair when wet. It is usually solid, but it often breaks into blocky columns, so check blocks before you pull on them. These are general notes for each rock type, from geological map samples at and around the summit. The rock on your line can differ, and lichen, vegetation and seepage all change how it feels underfoot.
Rock groups along the sampled routes
These are mapped rock groups, not separate weather forecasts or a ranking of route safety.
Sgùrr Alasdair
granite, gneiss or gabbro, volcanic rock
Geological detail and BGS records
7 rock types appear in the mapped samples
Samples around the summit inform the main rock-response profile, with the summit pin shown separately where it differs. Route samples add further context, but this is not a continuous geological survey.
Dolerite is a hard, dark, fine-grained rock. It grips well when dry and is fair when wet. It is usually solid, but it often breaks into blocky columns, so check blocks before you pull on them.
BGS recordGabbro is a very rough, coarse-crystalled rock. It has superb grip when dry and still grips well when wet. It is generally very solid, though the thin, smooth dykes that cut through it are slippery when wet and often loose. It can be magnetic in places, so a compass may be unreliable.
BGS recordBasalt is a dark volcanic rock. It grips well when dry and can be very slippery when wet. It is often blocky and shattered, with loose rubble on ledges.
BGS recordGabbro is a very rough, coarse-crystalled rock. It has superb grip when dry and still grips well when wet. It is generally very solid, though the thin, smooth dykes that cut through it are slippery when wet and often loose. It can be magnetic in places, so a compass may be unreliable.
BGS recordGabbro is a very rough, coarse-crystalled rock. It has superb grip when dry and still grips well when wet. It is generally very solid, though the thin, smooth dykes that cut through it are slippery when wet and often loose. It can be magnetic in places, so a compass may be unreliable.
BGS recordDolerite is a hard, dark, fine-grained rock. It grips well when dry and is fair when wet. It is usually solid, but it often breaks into blocky columns, so check blocks before you pull on them.
BGS recordGabbro is a very rough, coarse-crystalled rock. It has superb grip when dry and still grips well when wet. It is generally very solid, though the thin, smooth dykes that cut through it are slippery when wet and often loose. It can be magnetic in places, so a compass may be unreliable.
Generic exposed scrambling terrain; BGS summit-area bedrock samples are 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.
Did this match your experience?Tell us about the rock surface and wind to help improve this beta forecast.Give feedback
Overnight · Aurora, stars & meteorsAfter darkBetaNight-sky guidance is unavailable for this night. View forecastClose forecast
After dark: aurora and stargazing
Night-sky guidance is unavailable for this night. This does not mean clear skies or no aurora.
Explore the dedicated aurora forecast, meteor shower forecast or dark-sky and astrophotography forecast.
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.
Does the weather shape your plans?Optional hill-user research. One answer helps; further questions are up to you.Take part
Help the Mountain Decisions Project understand how forecasts influence hill days, including when plans stay the same. Findings will be shared publicly as summaries, not individual responses.
This is about Sgùrr Alasdair on Friday 6 November 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.
Open the questions to take part.
About the research and your privacy · Already been out? Share that experience instead