Mountain weather

Lake District

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Lake District Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for fair weather on Sunday and for cloudier and damper conditions to develop through Monday, but lower confidence for timings and for details after Monday

This evening forecast

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Any showers will fade away with cloud breaking, leaving increasingly clear skies. Fresh northwest then northerly winds.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.

hazard Severe chill effect
Wind significantly lowers the ‘feels-like’ temperature relative to the actual temperature, with even moderate winds significantly adding to the chilling effect. Strong winds can result in a severe and debilitating wind chill many degrees below the actual temperature. This effect will be enhanced in rain or wet snow. Without protection, prolonged exposure could result in frost nip or frostbite on exposed parts of the body and/or hypothermia.
hazard Poor visibility
Poor visibility presents challenging route finding conditions. Visibility could be significantly less than 50 metres in all directions with few or no visual references, especially on featureless moors or plateaux. Distances become hard to judge and cliff or cornice edges can be difficult to recognise. These conditions require good navigational skills. There is a risk of white-out conditions when mist or fog is combined with extensive snow cover.
hazard Strong sunlight
Harmful UV levels from sunlight increase with altitude giving a greater risk of sunburn and eye damage, even on some overcast days. On breezy days, the cooling effect of wind on exposed skin may disguise any feeling of sunburn until it is too late. If there is snow cover, glare increases the effect of UV rays especially on the eyes. It is advisable to wear sun block, protective clothing such as a long-sleeved top and hat and have good quality eye protection.
Mountain hazards explained

Mountain weather forecast

Dry, sunny start but cold with a few fog patches in the dales and high cloud will spill across the Park through the day.

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level

Altitude above mean sea level

Altitude above mean sea level

Additional weather information

Weather

: Largely clear and frosty overnight, but a few fog patches developing in the dales. Then a dry, mostly fine and sunny morning, but rather cold with patchy fog perhaps slow8 to clear. Becoming cloudy through the day as high cloud spills in from the northwest.

Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 800m

80 or 90% with only patchy cloud around 900m

Ground conditions

No recent ground conditions report available.

Visibility

Good or very good, but very poor in valley fog

Meteorologist's view

A rather cold day, with some wind chill on higher slopes and some glare from lying snow over the tops.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Valley fog thickening overnight, otherwise frosty with clear spells, though some high cloud will remain. Fog in valleys perhaps persisting through the day, but some sunshine across the slopes in the morning, despite rather a lot of high cloud. Cloud thickening through the afternoon to bring patchy rain or drizzle, with extensive hill fog across western fells by evening.

Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 800m

90% or more at first, but 40 or 50% in afternoon with cloud down to 600m at times, then 10 or 20% in west by mid-afternoon with areas of cloud down to 300 or 400m..

Maximum wind speed expected

Southwest 25 gust 35mph gradually becoming west to northwesterly 30mph gust 45mph

Temperature

  • At 800m Plus 1 or 2 C
  • Valley Between Plus 1 C and Minus 1 C at daybreak, rising to plus 4 or 5 C
  • Freezing level 900m rising to 1100m

Visibility

Mostly good in morning, but very poor in valley fog and moderate occasionally poor from mid-afternoon.

Mountain weather information

Tuesday 21 January

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloudy and murky with low cloud and occasional rain or drizzle, especially over western slopes, but mostly dry in the evening with some clear spells developing. Westerly winds freshening over the tops before turning northerly and easing later. Freezing level above the tops, but close to summits later.

Wednesday 22 January

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloud and murk returning overnight, then misty with extensive low cloud and patchy rain or drizzle. Becoming brighter in the east through the afternoon, with perhaps some sunshine, but low cloud and mist will thicken again in evening. Fresh north or northwest winds becoming southwesterly. Freezing at summit level at first, then rising.

Thursday 23 January

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Generally murky through the morning with areas of hill fog, especially in west, but mostly dry and there could be some brighter spells in the afternoon as winds turn southeasterly. Freezing level falling to summit level later

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

The Lake District covers an area of 885 square miles with its highest point, Scafell Pike, standing at 978 metres.

Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England. From its summit, the view spans from the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland to Snowdonia in Wales. The Lake District also contains the deepest and longest lakes in England; Wastwater and Windermere.

Much smaller than its Scottish counterparts, but no less breathtaking, is the Lake District National Park. While unarguably most famous for the lakes and waters from which it took its name, the National Park certainly has plenty to offer climbers as well. Not only that, special routes have been created (known as Miles Without Stiles) to offer more laid back, moderate walks.

Those looking for a challenge are suitably catered for with the Lakeland Fells, as made famous by rambler and cartographer Alfred Wainwright. These include some of the highest peaks in England: Scafell Pike (978 metres), Scafell (965 metres), Helvellyn (951 metres) and Skiddaw (931 metres).

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