Lewis and Harris mountain weather forecast.

The Harris hills and Clisham. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Lewis and Harris

Thursday 3 September 2026 · The Harris hills and Clisham

Confidence: Medium

Why: A low thunderstorm risk remains difficult to time precisely.

What matters most

Poor visibility is the main concern. Expect showers or rain at times and summit clag likely.

High-ground wind · 700 m15 mph southwesterly Gusts · 700 m20 mph Cloud base300-600 m Feels like · 700 m5°C
Morning · 07:00–13:00PoorSome early summit cloud is possible; rain timing remains uncertain.
31/100
Afternoon & evening · 13:00–22:00PoorRain timing remains uncertain.
17/100

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

01

High-ground wind (700 m)

Southwesterly around 15 mph at 700 m. Gusts reaching around 20 mph at 700 m, with locally higher values possible on the most exposed tops. Starting nearer 10 mph, then strengthening toward 15 mph later.

02

Walking impact

Noticeable on exposed ground, but unlikely to impede most walking.

03

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are possible from around midday into the evening. Keep an escape route from exposed ridges and descend if thunder develops.

04

Rain and showers

Showers or spells of rain at times. The heaviest rain is expected later in the day.

05

Cloud-free summits

Around 25%.

06

Cloud and visibility

Cloud bases mostly around 300-600 m. Bases are likely to lower later in the day. Most higher summits are likely to be in cloud for much of the day, with only brief or isolated breaks.

07

Temperature and wind chill

Around 8°C at 700 m, feeling like 5°C in the wind.

08

Freezing level

Above the summits.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 06:30 — Sunset 20:21 — about 13.8 hours daylight.

Overnight · 6 p.m.–9 a.m.Wild campingBetaThunder risk is around 28% in parts of the area; avoid exposed pitches if storms develop. 54/100Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 3 September 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across representative hills, open-hillside camping looks mixed around 600 m (54/100). Some overnight rain is likely, so expect a damp pitch or pack-up.

Overnight rain2.6 mmOpen ground · 600 m9 mph · gusts 18 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible
300 m67/100 · reasonable
Wind / gust
8 / 15 mph
Coldest
9.3°C
In cloud
Unlikely
Condensation
Moderate
600 m54/100 · mixed
Wind / gust
9 / 18 mph
Coldest
8.6°C
In cloud
50% of 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 & scramblingBetaThunder risk is around 28% in parts of the area; exposed scrambling may be a poor choice. 0/100Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
Across representative exposed-rock terrain

Full regional climbing & scrambling outlook

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 granite, gneiss or gabbro; moisture response can therefore vary substantially between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust21 mphRain3.7 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits1 broad familyRepresentative summit samples
granite, gneiss or gabbro 100% 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.

Updated 30 August 2026 at 04:40 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lewis and Harris.

Stay near Lewis and Harris.

Use Clisham as a practical starting point for whole-home stays with a useful drive to established walking routes.

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