Mountain weather
Peak District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for spell of strong winds, low confidence in extent of cloud and precipitation.
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.
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 weather forecast
Mostly cloudy but largely dry. Strong winds easing later.
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 600m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 600m) |
30% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
W
32
|
W
30
|
W
27
|
W
19
|
W
16
|
W
17
|
| 300m |
W
23
|
W
22
|
W
21
|
W
15
|
W
10
|
SW
10
|
| Valley |
W
15
|
W
15
|
W
16
|
W
12
|
W
8
|
SW
6
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 40 | 39 | 35 | 25 | 21 | 22 |
| 300m | 31 | 31 | 29 | 21 | 16 | 14 |
| Valley | 31 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 16 | 13 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
12°
|
10°
|
11°
|
11°
|
10°
|
10°
|
| 300m |
14°
|
13°
|
14°
|
14°
|
13°
|
12°
|
| Valley |
14°
|
14°
|
15°
|
15°
|
14°
|
13°
|
| Freezing Level |
3,400m
|
3,400m
|
3,200m
|
3,400m
|
3,200m
|
3,100m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
7°
|
5°
|
6°
|
8°
|
8°
|
7°
|
| 300m |
10°
|
9°
|
10°
|
11°
|
11°
|
11°
|
| Valley |
12°
|
11°
|
12°
|
13°
|
13°
|
12°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
A strong wind will make it feel cold, particularly on exposed western facing slopes. Feeling more pleasant from late afternoon as the wind eases and some sunny spells develop.
Weather
A cloudy start with perhaps some patchy rain and drizzle. Cloud steadily lifting during the morning, allowing a few bright spells to develop, most likely towards the east of the park. Remaining cloudy but largely dry in the evening. Very windy throughout the day, gradually easing into the evening.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
30-40% increasing to 80-90% by mid-morning.
Visibility
Possibly poor at first with cloud base 500-600m. Largely good from mid-morning.
Recent rainfall
Location: Cat & Fiddle (Midway between Buxton and Macclesfield)
Altitude: 511m
| Last 24 hours | Last 48 hours | Last 72 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 0mm | 0.2mm | 1mm |
Measurement date:
Rainfall data provided by the Environment Agency. The Met Office is not responsible for content provided by third parties and may remove this data without warning.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Patchy low cloud across the park during the morning, with more fair weather cloud developing during the afternoon. Possibly some outbreaks of drizzle at times, most likely towards the north west, whereas sunny spells are more likely towards the southeast of the park.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
20-30% northwest, 40-50% southeast.
Maximum wind speed expected
Westerly 20-25mph gusting 30-40mph
Temperature
- At 600m Plus 12 Celsius increasing to 15 Celsius.
- Valley Plus 11 Celsius increasing to 20 Celsius.
- Freezing level Above summits
Visibility
Poor at times in low cloud base 400-600m and outbreaks of drizzle. Moderate to good outside of cloud and drizzle.
Mountain weather information
Saturday 25 September
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Variable amounts of cloud, mostly widespread with drizzle during the morning but breaking up during the afternoon, allowing sunny spells to develop. Light southerly winds, making it feel a bit warmer than previous days.
Sunday 26 September
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Sunny spells and a few showers with a freshening southerly wind.
Monday 27 September
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A band of heavy rain and strong winds will clear eastwards early on Monday. Sunny spells and scattered blustery showers developing thereafter.
Updated at:
Mountain summits
Other points of interest
Cluster of multiple stations
The Peak District is home to a wide variety of magnificent hills, moors, outcrops and gritstone edges.
The National Park itself covers an area of 555 square miles with a high point on Kinder Scout of 636 metres. Despite its name, the landscape generally lacks sharp peaks, being characterised by rounded hills and gritstone escarpments.
Despite what its name may suggest, the Peak District is similar in geography to the more gentle Yorkshire Dales. Its highest point is Kinder Scout, although Bleaklow Head (610 metres) and Black Hill (582 metres) offer great alternatives while losing little in terms of total elevation. Black Hill is a point of interest with its covering of peat and lack of vegetation giving the peak its name. However, conservation work has since transformed the peak so that large areas of the bare peat are now covered with native shrubs.
While the Peak District may lack sharp elevations, the whole area covers huge upland stretches, meaning that much of the National Park is on land that's more than 300 metres above sea level.