Lochaber
A good day in Lochaber: dry and breezy, with clear tops for most of the day.
Sunshine and sky
Cloud becoming more extensive. Cloud cover is likely to increase as sunshine becomes less frequent.
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.
High-ground wind (900 m)
At around 900 m, expect a southerly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 25–35 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.
Walking impact
Gusts of 25–35 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.
Rain and showers
It should stay dry.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 85% around midday and about 65% later.
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 900–1200 m mid-afternoon. Good spells of sunshine are likely.
Temperature and wind chill
At around 900 m it will be 2 to 6°C, feeling like -4 to 0°C in the wind. It turns milder through the day. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.
Freezing level
The freezing level is around 1100–1400 m, so it will be below freezing on the tops.
Daylight
Sunrise 07:59, Sunset 18:07, about 10.1 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind: gusts of about 35 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 35 mph on open ground, which makes for a noisy, testing night even in a good tent. Look for shelter from the south. It should stay dry. Overnight lows of about 4°C at 900 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 63%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 00:13 next morning BST
Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 19 Oct, 17:00 BST to 20 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Representative location: 56.797, -5.004. Times vary across the area.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 17 mph / 26 mph
- Coldest
- 5.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 20 mph / 30 mph
- Coldest
- 5.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 23 mph / 35 mph
- Coldest
- 4.2°C
- In cloud
- 21% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
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 & scramblingBetaSnow is likely to be lying on some high ground. Scrambling may require winter mountaineering skills and equipment. Gusts near 30 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 67Mixed · Fair View detailsHide details
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 fair (67/100). Rock is likely to be mostly dry, though local seepage and shaded holds remain unresolved. Gusts may reach about 30 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes psammite, pelite or semipelite, granite, gneiss or gabbro and volcanic rock. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.
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 15 October 2026 at 15:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lochaber.