Mountain weather
Peak District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for unsettled and rather cold conditions with low pressure generally dominating, though becoming a bit milder on Friday. Low confidence for specific details, especially in relation to timings of rain and snow and changes in snow level height.
This evening forecast
Generally overcast with outbreaks of heavy rain, but snow above 500m, though snow level gradually rising to 700m. Fresh to strong north or northeasterly winds.
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.
Storm force winds
Storm force winds (gusts over 70mph) make walking very strenuous with any mobility virtually impossible over exposed ground. Where these conditions occur there is a high risk of being blown over and even standing may be impossible at times with a risk of being blown off one’s feet. Basic tasks such as using a map, eating, putting on extra clothing or communication become extremely difficult away from any shelter.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Generally overcast with a god deal of hill fog and patchy rain in the morning but drier and brighter in the afternoon. Windy and cold at height.
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 600m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 600m) |
60% | 60% | 20% | 20% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 40% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
NE
20
|
NE
17
|
NE
18
|
NE
21
|
NE
25
|
NE
25
|
NE
28
|
NE
31
|
| 300m |
NE
14
|
NE
12
|
NE
12
|
NE
14
|
NE
17
|
NE
17
|
NE
17
|
N
15
|
| Valley |
NE
12
|
NE
10
|
NE
9
|
NE
10
|
NE
12
|
NE
12
|
NE
11
|
N
9
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 27 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 32 | 34 | 38 | 42 |
| 300m | 23 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 25 |
| Valley | 26 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 23 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
1°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
| 300m |
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
| Valley |
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
5°
|
7°
|
7°
|
6°
|
5°
|
| Freezing Level |
800m
|
900m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
1,100m
|
1,000m
|
900m
|
1,000m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
-5°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
| 300m |
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
| Valley |
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
2°
|
4°
|
4°
|
2°
|
2°
|
Additional weather information
Weather
Cloudy overnight with rather extensive hill fog, but rain will become patchy in the early hours. Mostly cloudy with still quite extensive hill fog through the morning and some light rain from time to time but cloud will break up late morning to leave a mostly dry and bright afternoon with some sunny spells. Cloud will thicken through the evening to bring further outbreaks of rain.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
20% at best for much of the morning, with extensive cloud down to 500 or 600m, but better chance towards afternoon, around 60 or 70% with cloud lifting to 900m at times and becoming more broken. Chance reducing again in evening.
Visibility
Poor or very poor over many slopes in the morning, but occasionally good over lower slopes in south and more generally good through the afternoon.
Meteorologist's view
Despite rising temperatures and freezing levels, it will be cold at height with a significant chill.
Recent rainfall
Location: Cat & Fiddle (Midway between Buxton and Macclesfield)
Altitude: 511m
| Last 24 hours | Last 48 hours | Last 72 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4mm | 3.2mm | 38mm |
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
Mostly cloudy and rather cold with patchy, mainly light rain but gradually becoming drier and brighter through the afternoon, with sunny spells developing, especially over eastern slopes.
Chance of cloud-free mountain/hill tops at 600m
Between 10 and 30% in the morning with extensive cloud base ranging from 500 to 700m. Improving to 50 to 80% in the afternoon as cloud becomes patchy over the tops at times.
Maximum wind speed expected
Northeast 25 gust 35mph at first, but becoming northerly 10mph through the morning then becoming west or northwesterly in afternoon.
Temperature
- At 600m Plus 3 C rising to 5 C
- Valley Plus 6 C rising to plus 9 C
- Freezing level Above the tops
Visibility
Mostly good beneath cloud, but moderate to poor at times in rain in morning, especially over northern slopes
Mountain weather information
Sunday 17 November
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mostly cloudy with patchy light rain, but some brighter spells, especially in afternoon, but more persistent rain in evening. Light northwest winds turning northeasterly and freshening. Freezing levels above tops.
Monday 18 November
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Breezy start but mostly dry by morning with bright or sunny spells developing by the afternoon. Colder with freezing level gradually falling close to the higher tops
Tuesday 19 November
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Dry, bright morning with sunny spells, but cloud and rain spreading in late afternoon, with snow over tops at first Southeasterly winds by the morning, then freshening but freezing level will steadily rise.
Updated at:
Summit specific forecast
Mountain summit forecast map
Key
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.