Walking on the north-west Highlands's summits will be virtually impossible in hurricane winds

Walkers in the Highlands face hurricane-force winds tomorrow, forecasters have warned.

The Mountain Weather Information Service said gusts of between 80 and 100mph are likely on mountains in the North West.

Speeds even higher are possible, the independent meteorologists said.

Winds of more than 73mph (118kph) are classed as hurricane, force 12 on the Beaufort scale. MWIS said an exceptionally intense area of low pressure will move close to the north-west Highlands.

A 200-mile swathe of near-hurricane winds will affect areas south of this and there will be widespread rain and showers, falling as snow on the munros.

Mobility will be almost impossible on mountain tops, the forecasters said. A pronounced lull around the middle of the day will end suddenly when the hurricane winds will hit the Scottish mountain-tops.

There will be a severe wind chill and it will be difficult to walk even at low levels. Although the temperature will hover just above freezing on the munro summits, it will feel more like –15C in the high winds.

The high winds are likely to abate by evening but blustery winds will continue on Britain’s hills for the foreseeable future.