Mountain weather

Snowdonia

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Snowdonia Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for the mostly cloudy, mild and windy conditions with occasional clearer showery periods. Medium for details from Sunday.

This evening forecast

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloudy with patchy rain. Strong winds over the tops.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

hazard 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.
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 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.
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.
Mountain hazards explained

Mountain weather forecast

Cloudy with some rain and drizzle. Gales over the tops.

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

It will be mostly cloudy with occasional rain and drizzle, low cloud extensive during daylight hours. The cloud lifting and breaking a little in the evening and becoming mainly dry.

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

Nil to 20% during daylight hours, extensive or overcast cloud with base 300 to 600m. Becoming 50% in the evening with the cloud lifting and breaking, bases 600 to 900m.

Ground conditions

No recent ground conditions report available. For archived reports see - http://www.snowdonia.gov.wales/visiting/walking/ground-conditions

Visibility

Moderate or poor in rain and drizzle, often very poor at height. Becoming very good in the evening.

Meteorologist's view

Navigational difficulties expected at height. Also significant buffeting, gusts 50 to 60mph over the summits.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, occasionally heavy and persistent. Turning drier in the evening with the cloud beginning to lift and break. Gales at times over the tops.

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

20%, extensive or overcast cloud with base 600m or less. Becoming 70% in the evening as the cloud begins to lift and break.

Maximum wind speed expected

Southwest 30 to 40mph gusts 60mph.

Temperature

  • At 800m Plus 6 Celsius, later 3 Celsius
  • Valley Plus 5 rising to 10 Celsius
  • Freezing level Above the summits

Visibility

Moderate in rain and often poor or very poor at height. Becoming most good or very good in the evening.

Mountain weather information

Saturday 1 February

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mainly dry with patchy cloud cover overnight. Cloudy or bright during the morning and mainly dry, although the odd shower possible, wintry over the summits. Cloud increasing in the afternoon with outbreaks of rain expected by dusk, snow over the summits. Southwesterly winds gale or severe gale force at times at height.

Sunday 2 February

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Dry overnight, but soon cloudy with outbreaks of rain, with a short period of summit snow. Southeast to southwest winds gale force at times over the tops. Turning more showery by the evening. Freezing level around the summits.

Monday 3 February

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Bright spells and showers, these turning to snow above 500m. Gale or severe gale west to southwest winds at height with temporary blizzard conditions and a severe wind chill. Freezing level lowering to around 600m.

Updated at:
Mountain weather explained

The Snowdonia mountains are made up of 90 mountain peaks including the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon, standing at 1,085 metres.

The region can be divided into four areas with the northernmost area the most popular, including peaks such as Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge. Many hikers tend to concentrate on Snowdon itself regarding it as a fine mountain. However it can become quite crowded, with the peak welcoming around half a million visitors every year, of which four fifths scale the peak on foot, while the remainder choose to take the train instead.

One of Snowdon’s main attractions is the sheer number and variety of paths that reach the peak. This means that everyone from mountaineering novices to climbing experts should find a way up the mountain that will suit their abilities or provide them with a sufficient test. The easiest is the Llanberis path which, being the longest, has the most shallow ascent. In contrast, the Watkin Path is widely seen as being the most demanding ascent, despite also being considered the prettiest.

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