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The Weather to Come

Rob Howard / 21.08.2005

Specialist weather service www.mwis.org.uk have provided a detailed forecast for the coming days in the area through which the race will be travelling.

While the start on Monday is likely to be fair the forecast is for severe weather on Tuesday night and Wednesday, and for a generally wet and windy week ahead.

Here is the forecast in full:

THE MOUNTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION SERVICE
THE WEST AND NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS
All NW Highlands, and west from Creag Meagaidh, Ben Alder and Loch Lomond NP.

GENERAL SUMMARY for Monday 22nd August 2005.
British Mountain Summary: based on forecast chart for 1pm Monday.
Scotland will have a bright day with spells of sunshine, and just the odd shower. These conditions will extend across Wales and England as rain and low cloud associated with fronts clear away eastward.

Headlines for the West and Northwest Highlands
Fairly benign: sunshine, good visibility; little cloud on hills.

DETAILED MOUNTAIN FORECAST: for Monday 22nd August 2005

How windy?(on the Munros)
Westerly 20 to at times 30mph in gusts.

How wet?
Scattered showers.
A few showers; but these brief during daylight hours; before merging to give general rain overnight.

Cloud on the hills? (Chance of cloudfree Munros?)
Breaking on most areas.
Cloud building at 600 to 800m at first, but will lift to mostly 1000 to 1100m well inland with most summits cloud free at times. Particularly later in day, near the coast, cloud base may well stay at 750m – and later become extensive. (70%.)

Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine with well broken cloud, and very good visibility.

How cold?
At 900m: 7C.
Freezing level: Above summits.
Forecast issued at 1500 on Sunday 21st August

LOOKING AHEAD - TUESDAY 23RD AUGUST
How windy? (on the Munros)
S or SW: post dawn 30 to 40mph, gusts 50mph.
Will ease to 20mph, but after dusk will lift to 60mph with likely gusts to 80/90mph.
Anticipate considerable buffeting at first, and also toward nightfall.

How wet?
Bursts of heavy rain post dawn; will clear by late morning. Then a dry spell before heavy/torrential rain affects many areas after dark.

Cloud on the hills? (Chance of cloud free Munros?)
Lifting to higher areas.
Persistent cloud at 400/500m will lift to 800 to 1000m and become well broken, though again toward dusk will become extensive and begin to lower toward 500m from west. (40%).

Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine and good visibility from late morning – but sun fading again later in afternoon.

How cold?.
At 900m: 7C.
Freezing level: Above summits.

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