Mountain weather
Peak District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for another cloudy day, with rain gradually easing. Moderate for height of cloud bases.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
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.
Heavy persistent rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
Mountain weather forecast
Rain slowly easing, low cloud affecting most hills.
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 600m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 600m) |
80% | 70% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
NE
12
|
NE
17
|
NE
18
|
NE
16
|
NE
13
|
NE
10
|
| 300m |
NE
11
|
NE
15
|
NE
16
|
NE
15
|
NE
10
|
NE
6
|
| Valley |
NE
14
|
E
16
|
E
15
|
E
13
|
NE
6
|
NE
5
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 17 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 14 |
| 300m | 20 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 12 |
| Valley | 26 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 15 | 12 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
| 300m |
11°
|
11°
|
11°
|
12°
|
11°
|
10°
|
| Valley |
11°
|
12°
|
12°
|
13°
|
12°
|
11°
|
| Freezing Level |
3,100m
|
2,900m
|
2,700m
|
2,600m
|
2,500m
|
2,300m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
6°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
| 300m |
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
9°
|
9°
|
9°
|
| Valley |
9°
|
9°
|
10°
|
10°
|
11°
|
10°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Feeling quite muggy in humid air.
Weather
Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, with some heavy bursts in the early hours. Rain becoming lighter and patchier through the morning, then likely becoming mostly confined to eastern parts of the Park later in the afternoon and into the evening. Low cloud covering hills for much of the day.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
10% during the early hours and into the morning, with cloud bases 200-400m. Becoming 30% as cloud bases in the west of the Park lift slightly to 400-600m, but generally remaining lower in the east.
Visibility
Often poor or very poor through Thursday in rain or low cloud covering hills, with nearby hills difficult to make out, and nearby landmarks often obscured.
Recent rainfall
Location: Cat & Fiddle (Midway between Buxton and Macclesfield)
Altitude: 511m
| Last 24 hours | Last 48 hours | Last 72 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 15mm | 20.2mm | 27.2mm |
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
Rain, drizzle and low cloud through the early hours should move away around dawn. This will leave a day of sunshine and showers for Friday, with showers being potentially heavy and thundery. Highest risk of heavy thundery downpours is in the east of the Park.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
30% at first, with cloud bases 200-400m. Becoming 80% by mid-morning as the low cloud clears, with bases lifting above the summits. Cloud bases may still clip the summits however in heavier showers, especially in eastern parts.
Maximum wind speed expected
Northwesterly 15-20mph, gusting 25-35mph, mainly from late morning through the afternoon.
Temperature
- At 600m Plus 9 C
- Valley Plus 9 C becoming plus 18 C
- Freezing level Well above the hills.
Visibility
Poor or very poor at first through the early hours, but soon becoming good or very good with distant hills visible. Visibility will drop in heavier showers, temporarily obscuring nearby hills.
Mountain weather information
Saturday 11 July
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Fine and dry with sunny spells. Cloud bases generally above hilltops and light northwesterly winds.
Sunday 12 July
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Fine and dry again with sunny spells, although high cloud may make any sunshine hazy. Cloud bases generally above hilltops and light to moderate southwesterly winds.
Monday 13 July
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Dry with sunny spells and light to moderate winds.
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.