Highlands & Eilean Siar weather

Headline:

Bright spells and scattered showers today.

Today:

Bright or sunny spells and scattered showers, these occasionally heavy in the west. Showers wintry over hills. Showers becoming fewer later in the afternoon. Blustery westerly winds in the north and west. Icy patches at first. Cold. Maximum temperature 5 °C.

Tonight:

Any showers soon dying out this evening to leave a dry night. Some frost in the east. Windy in far west with strong southwesterly winds, occasionally gale force Western Isles. Minimum temperature 2 °C.

Thursday:

Dry with plenty of sunshine but some high cloud around. Windy in the northwest and Western Isles with strong southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 8 °C.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:

A dry and settled few days with plenty of sunshine although the east may see some cloud at times. Overnight frost.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC) on Wed 5 Feb 2025

High pressure will likely sit to the northeast of the UK during this period. Consequently, winds across many areas are likely to come from an easterly quadrant, exacerbating the cold feel, with temperatures often below average. At first, there is the chance of more widespread precipitation, most likely mainly rain, across southernmost areas, before this clears away. Thereafter, there is a risk of some sleet or snow showers feeding in on the east to southeasterly wind, though many places may remain dry. Also a small chance of Atlantic fronts making inroads from the west, especially later in this period, which could also bring the possibility of at least transient snow. Overnight frost is likely to feature during this period, particularly where skies are clear.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC) on Tue 4 Feb 2025

Weather patterns in the UK are most likely to be slowly evolving during this period. It is most likely that high pressure to the east or northeast of the UK will dominate at first in some form or another, but with time this may decline, allowing an erratic transition to rather more unsettled and possibly less cold conditions. During this transition there is the possibility of more prolonged rain or snow developing, at least for a time, but confidence in these details is currently very low.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC) on Tue 4 Feb 2025