Mountain weather
Yorkshire Dales Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for fresher showery weather on Tuesday, but medium for the details from Wednesday onwards due to uncertainly with the position of a front further north.
This evening forecast
Cloudy with some mainly light rain, turning more showery later.
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.
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.
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
Bright with sunny intervals and showers, dying out later.
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 600m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 600m) |
20% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 20% |
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 |
W
7
|
W
12
|
W
16
|
W
20
|
W
23
|
W
23
|
W
21
|
W
16
|
| 300m |
W
4
|
W
7
|
W
9
|
W
13
|
W
16
|
W
17
|
W
13
|
W
10
|
| Valley |
W
2
|
W
3
|
W
5
|
W
12
|
W
15
|
W
15
|
W
11
|
W
7
|
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 | 11 | 18 | 25 | 29 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 25 |
| 300m | 10 | 18 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 33 | 28 | 24 |
| Valley | 7 | 9 | 17 | 25 | 30 | 31 | 25 | 20 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
8°
|
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
8°
|
| 300m |
10°
|
9°
|
10°
|
10°
|
12°
|
12°
|
10°
|
10°
|
| Valley |
11°
|
11°
|
10°
|
12°
|
13°
|
13°
|
12°
|
11°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,700m
|
1,700m
|
1,700m
|
1,500m
|
1,800m
|
1,700m
|
1,700m
|
1,700m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
6°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| 300m |
9°
|
8°
|
7°
|
8°
|
9°
|
9°
|
8°
|
7°
|
| Valley |
10°
|
10°
|
9°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
10°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Fresher than of late and feeling chilly over the summits in the showers.
Weather
Some clear intervals and showers overnight. A bright day will follow with sunny intervals and scattered showers, these becoming lighter and more isolated during the evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
30%, slowly improving to 60% through the day.
Low cloud and visibility
Broken cloud base 400-600 metres overnight, becoming more scattered with bases lifting 600-800 metres through the day. Visibilities good or very good, but falling moderate or poor at times in the showers.
Recent rainfall
Location: Malham
Altitude: 375m
| Last 24 hours | Last 48 hours | Last 72 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 0mm | 15.4mm | 16.2mm |
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
Some clear spells with a few showers overnight, then bright through the day with sunny intervals and just the odd light shower.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
50%
Maximum wind speed expected
West or southwest 30 gust 40-45 mph
Temperature
- At 600m Plus 9 Celsius.
- Valley Plus 6 Celsius rising to 16 Celsius.
- Freezing level Above summits.
Low cloud and visibility
Scattered to broken cloud base 500-700 metres. Visibilities good or very good, but moderate at times in the showers.
Mountain weather information
Thu 5 Oct
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Some brighter spells, but generally a good deal of cloud with rain at times, perhaps turning heavier later Fresh SW winds over the summits
Fri 6 Oct
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Rather cloudy with some rain or drizzle at times. Strong to gale force SW winds over the summits.
Sat 7 Oct
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mainly dry with clouds breaking to give some sunshine. Fresh or strong South to SW winds over the summits.
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 Yorkshire Dales National Park covers an area of 683 square miles and is a collection of rivers, valleys and hills.
The National Park lies within the county boundaries of historic Yorkshire with much of the landscape consisting of limestone country; lush green valleys known locally as 'dales' crested with white limestone cliffs known as 'scars'. Hidden beneath these hills and peaks is an underground world of caves and potholes with stalactites and stalagmites, cathedral sized chambers, underground rivers and waterfalls.
A gentler outlook awaits visitors in the Yorkshire Dales, compared to the much more imposing ranges of the Lake District. The tallest of the gentle rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales is Whernside, which reaches 736 metres. Known as the 'King of the Dales', Whernside may not be the tallest of mountains on offer in the UK, but still rewards those who make the journey with views that stretch for miles.
Walkers shouldn't be under the illusion that the Yorkshire Dales doesn't offer challenges for ardent mountain walkers. Instead, a 'Three Peaks Challenge', which takes in Whernside, Ingelborough and Pen-y-Ghent, sees walkers cover over 23 miles and almost 1,600 metres of ascent. The record for completing all three currently stands at around two and a half hours.