Mountain weather
Lake District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for a drier week ahead, and for showers later Sunday and Monday with lower confidence for timings and intensity of showers.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
Gales
Gale force winds (gusts over 50mph) make walking difficult and strenuous with a potential to be blown over by gusts. There is often a marked increase in winds through cols or on exposed ridges and summits. Distances can take longer to cover and compass bearings become harder to follow accurately.
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.
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.
Thunderstorms
Lightning is a significant mountain hazard which can result in serious injury or death. Mountain terrain often leaves one highly exposed to lightning strikes. Hail may give unpleasant conditions with torrential rain and localised flash flooding also possible, mainly in Summer months.
Mountain weather forecast
Mainly dry and bright through the morning with hazy sunshine, but showers breaking out in the afternoon.
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
00% | 00% | 10% | 30% | 60% | 60% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
SW
31
|
SW
29
|
S
26
|
S
27
|
S
28
|
S
30
|
| 600m |
SW
26
|
SW
24
|
S
24
|
S
24
|
S
26
|
S
26
|
| 300m |
SW
9
|
SW
7
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
9
|
S
11
|
| Valley |
SW
6
|
SW
4
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
11
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m | 36 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 38 |
| 600m | 35 | 32 | 33 | 35 | 37 | 36 |
| 300m | 28 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 |
| Valley | 23 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
| 600m |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| 300m |
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
7°
|
6°
|
6°
|
| Valley |
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
9°
|
8°
|
9°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
1,200m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-3°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
| 300m |
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
| Valley |
8°
|
9°
|
8°
|
7°
|
6°
|
6°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Some chill affect at height, especially in rain and showers
Weather
Rain clearing overnight and a few clear spells developing. Then a dry and bright start to the day, but mostly cloudy, with large amounts of high cloud and some hazy sunshine. Cloud building in the afternoon and showers will break out and these may to merge to a longer spell of rain in evening, with sleet or snow possible on higher summits.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
10% in early hours, then generally 60-80% but lowering to 30% in evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Mostly good visibility by day with scattered to broken cloud above 700 or 800m, though a few kilometres in rain and showers and very poor at height in early hours and later in the day with more extensive cloud down to 500m.
Ground conditions
No recent ground conditions report available.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Showery rain and summit snow overnight, but more especially over the western fells and tending to fizzle out, with some clear periods in the east, perhaps leading to a few fog patches forming. Then a rather cloudy day with scattered showers, these wintry on the higher tops and a band of heavy and perhaps thundery showers will cross from the west in the afternoon. Drier in the evening but still a few showers in the west and some low cloud and fog may develop.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20-50%, best chance in the east
Maximum wind speed expected
South 20-25 gust 35mph turning southwest 10 mph in the morning then West or NW 10-15mph in afternoon.
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 3 C
- Valley Plus 5 C rising to 9 C
- Freezing level 1200m, falling to 900m later
Low cloud and visibility
Generally good visibility beneath cloud and out of rain and showers, but some early low level fog and very poor in cloud above 500-800m, this most extensive over western fells, with cloud more broken and occasionally scattered in east. Some cloud forming in evening down to 300 or 400m
Mountain weather information
Tue 29 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A cold start with patchy frost and perhaps patchy fog, with risk of low cloud which could linger through the morning. Otherwise mainly dry and bright with sunny spells and light winds, but stronger southerly winds later. Freezing level 1000m, later 800m.
Wed 30 Nov
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Uncertain if cloud, rain and summit snow will edge in from west later, but a mostly dry, rather cloudy day is expected after the clearance of any fog and frost. Freezing level 800m, perhaps rising to 1200m later.
Thu 1 Dec
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Still uncertainty in the division between cloud and rain to west and colder conditions with the odd wintry shower in east, so perhaps a cloudy day with patchy rain and summit snow, but more likely cold with a morning frost, then sunny spells and the odd wintry shower with freezing level around 700m
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
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Key
Mountain summits
Other points of interest
Cluster of multiple stations
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).