Argyll and Loch Lomond mountain weather forecast.

The Arrochar Alps, Crianlarich and Argyll hills. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Argyll and Loch Lomond

Thursday 8 October 2026 · The Arrochar Alps, Crianlarich and Argyll hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing. Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A good day in Argyll and Loch Lomond, though expect rain arriving mid-afternoon and cloud coming and going on the summits.

High-ground wind · 900 m15-25 mph westerly Gusts · 900 m25-35 mph Cloud base700-1100 m Feels like · 900 m-6 to -2°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Sunshine through the day. The time blocks show where the model places the brighter spells.

Modelled sunshine1 h9% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
MiddayLess than 1 hour sunshine
Later0 h sunshine

These are direct modelled sunshine hours during daylight, not the probability of sunshine. Cloud cover and summit cloud are assessed separately in the forecast above. The regional median prevents one unusually bright or dull summit cell defining the whole area.

Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.

Morning · 08:00–12:00ExcellentSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 15-25 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud becomes more persistent later.
87/100
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud is more persistent early in this period, with better prospects later. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
60/100

Conservative regional grades across representative summits, so one sheltered hill does not overstate the wider area.

01

High-ground wind (900 m)

At around 900 m, expect a westerly wind of 15–25 mph, gusting 25–35 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 25–35 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

03

Spate risk

There could be a spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may rise quickly. Timing and severity can vary between catchments. Check the peak forecast for the separate rain/runoff periods. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

04

Rain and showers

A band of rain moves in mid-afternoon and becomes heavier later. Expect 2–5 mm in total. Rain is possible during the main walking period, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 30% around midday and about 25% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

The tops are likely to drift in and out of cloud, with the best chance of clear tops early in the morning. The cloud base could be as low as 500–800 m in the early evening.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 900 m it will be 0 to 4°C, feeling like -6 to -2°C in the wind. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer. Pack waterproofs too, and keep a warm layer dry in your pack.

08

Freezing level

The freezing level is close to summit height.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:35, Sunset 18:36, about 11.0 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch above about 600 m on some hills (gusts of about 50 mph and heavy rain, around 25 mm). Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. 19/100Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 8 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Too windy for an exposed pitch above about 600 m on some hills. Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. Gusts reach about 50 mph around 900 m and nearer 35 mph around 300 m, enough to damage a tent on open ground. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 26 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Above about 600 m you'd likely be in cloud for part of the night: damp, and hard to find your way if you need to move. Overnight lows of about 3°C at 900 m.

Overnight rain26.3 mmOpen ground · 600 m22 mph · gusts 43 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waning crescent moon

Illuminated disc
3%
Moonrise
06:07 next morning BST
Moonset
17:42 BST

Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.

Overnight window: 8 Oct, 17:00 BST to 9 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 56.386, -4.540. Times vary across the area.

300 m39/100 · poor
Wind / gust
19 mph / 36 mph
Coldest
5.4°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m19/100 · very poor
Wind / gust
22 mph / 43 mph
Coldest
5.0°C
In cloud
95% of modelled night
Condensation
High
900 m9/100 · very poor
Wind / gust
26 mph / 51 mph
Coldest
3.2°C
In cloud
100% of modelled night
Condensation
High

Open-hillside guidance across representative hills. Local shelter, ridges, tent design and the exact pitch can change conditions substantially. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.

Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaSub-zero temperatures and moisture may leave icy patches on exposed rock. Wet rock is likely. 0/100Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
Regional rock conditions · sampled mountain terrain

Regional climbing & scrambling outlook

A broad guide to dampness and exposed rock across the area, not a forecast for every crag. Lower, sheltered crags and individual rock types may behave differently.

Conditions for exposed scrambling across the area look very poor (0/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes psammite, pelite or semipelite, volcanic rock and granite, gneiss or gabbro. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust28 mphRain3.9 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits3 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
psammite, pelite or semipelite 62% 5 representative summitsDry quartz-rich bands can be grippy, while mica-rich or foliated sections, lichen and vegetation may become slippery when wet.volcanic rock 25% 2 representative summitsOften grippy when dry, but volcanic rocks vary widely; wet lichen, smooth holds and local seepage can still make them slippery.granite, gneiss or gabbro 12% 1 representative summitGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery.

Representative summit-point samples across the region; individual crags and routes may differ.

Generic exposed hands-on-rock terrain across representative summits; mapped summit-point geology is a broad regional sample, not a named-route survey. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling 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.

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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.

Updated 8 October 2026 at 05:28 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Argyll and Loch Lomond.

More context for your hill day

Check the approach as well as the tops

Compare midge conditions by day and height, or look for a possible cloud inversion. For Snowdon and Tryfan, camera-derived cloud-base observations add a view of conditions already seen on the slopes.