Skye
Friday 4 September 2026 · The Cuillin and Skye's higher hills
Why: Thunderstorm timing is inherently uncertain and may shift by several hours.
Thunderstorms are the main concern, especially on exposed summits and ridges. Strong westerly wind and Persistent rain.
Sunshine and sky
Cloud breaking up. Brighter spells should become more frequent as cloud breaks.
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.
High-ground wind (900 m)
Westerly around 35 mph at 900 m. Gusts reaching around 50 mph at 900 m, with locally higher values possible on the most exposed tops. Little overall change through the day.
Walking impact
Arduous in exposure, with buffeting and difficult progress into the wind.
Thunderstorms
A moderate thunderstorm risk is indicated from the morning into the evening. Avoid committing to exposed summits or ridges while storms are building or nearby.
Ground conditions
The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.
Spate risk
There could be a spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may rise quickly. Crossing risk is expected throughout the day, continuing overnight and easing after around 03:00 the following morning. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.
Rain and showers
Persistent rain for much of the day.
Cloud-free summits
Around 20%.
Cloud and visibility
Cloud bases mostly around 300-600 m. Most higher summits are likely to be in cloud for much of the day, with only brief or isolated breaks.
Temperature and wind chill
Around 7°C at 900 m, feeling like 1°C in the wind.
Freezing level
Above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 06:31 — Sunset 20:14 — about 13.7 hours daylight.
Overnight · 6 p.m.–9 a.m.Wild campingBetaThunder risk is around 33% in parts of the area; avoid exposed pitches if storms develop. 32/100Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Across representative hills, open-hillside camping looks poor around 600 m (32/100). Higher pitches look less comfortable, with colder, cloudier or more exposed conditions. Open-ground gusts may reach about 50 mph, so sheltered pitches will matter. Some overnight rain is likely, so expect a damp pitch or pack-up.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 20 / 36 mph
- Coldest
- 8.5°C
- In cloud
- Unlikely
- Condensation
- Moderate
- Wind / gust
- 24 / 43 mph
- Coldest
- 8.0°C
- In cloud
- 62% of night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 28 / 50 mph
- Coldest
- 5.6°C
- In cloud
- 75% 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 33% in parts of the area; exposed scrambling may be a poor choice. 0/100Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
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. Gusts may reach about 50 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes granite, gneiss or gabbro; moisture response can therefore vary substantially 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.
Updated 1 September 2026 at 15:33 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Skye.