UK mountain weather forecast
The windiest summit today is Pen y Fan, with free-air wind around 50 mph: walking impossible on exposed ground. Nine summits across the UK, forecast at summit height for the daytime hours, 9am to 5pm.
Summit conditions, four days
| Summit | Today | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Nevis1345 m, Lochaber | 1°C / feels -6°Wind 14 mphLightFreezing level 2100 mLow cloud 4% | 0°C / feels -5°Wind 22 mphNoticeableFreezing level 1900 mLow cloud 88% | 0°C / feels -5°Wind 22 mphNoticeableFreezing level 1400 mLow cloud 84%Snow 1 cm | -1°C / feels -5°Wind 13 mphLightLow cloud 100%Snow 1 cm |
| Cairn Gorm1245 m, Cairngorms | 2°C / feels -5°Wind 15 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2300 mLow cloud 31% | 1°C / feels -4°Wind 23 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2300 mLow cloud 99% | 2°C / feels -3°Wind 24 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2300 mLow cloud 95%Rain 1 mm | 2°C / feels -2°Wind 15 mphLightLow cloud 98%Rain 2 mm |
| Ben Lomond974 m, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs | 3°C / feels -4°Wind 19 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2300 mLow cloud 66% | 3°C / feels -2°Wind 28 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 1300 mLow cloud 87% | 3°C / feels -1°Wind 23 mphNoticeableFreezing level 1400 mLow cloud 89%Rain 2 mm | 3°C / feels -1°Wind 16 mphNoticeableLow cloud 99%Rain 5 mm |
| Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)1085 m, Eryri (Snowdonia) | 3°C / feels -3°Wind 44 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 1400 mLow cloud 90% | 2°C / feels -5°Wind 42 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 2200 mLow cloud 80% | 2°C / feels -4°Wind 9 mphLightFreezing level 2000 mLow cloud 75% | 2°C / feels -2°Wind 11 mphLightLow cloud 49% |
| Pen y Fan886 m, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) | 4°C / feels -2°Wind 50 mphWalking impossible on exposed groundFreezing level 1200 mLow cloud 97%Rain 2 mm | 3°C / feels -3°Wind 31 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 2200 mLow cloud 99% | 3°C / feels -1°Wind 10 mphLightFreezing level 1700 mLow cloud 98%Rain 2 mm | 4°C / feels -1°Wind 6 mphLightLow cloud 90% |
| Scafell Pike978 m, Lake District | 4°C / feels -2°Wind 34 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 1600 mLow cloud 90% | 4°C / feels -2°Wind 39 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 2500 mLow cloud 90% | 4°C / feels -3°Wind 16 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2200 mLow cloud 79% | 3°C / feels -1°Wind 10 mphLightLow cloud 90% |
| Helvellyn950 m, Lake District | 3°C / feels -2°Wind 33 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 1600 mLow cloud 91%Rain 2 mm | 4°C / feels -3°Wind 40 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 2200 mLow cloud 97%Rain 1 mm | 4°C / feels -2°Wind 21 mphNoticeableFreezing level 2400 mLow cloud 81% | 3°C / feels -2°Wind 11 mphLightLow cloud 77% |
| Kinder Scout636 m, Peak District | 7°C / feels -1°Wind 45 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 1400 mLow cloud 66%Rain 2 mm | 6°C / feels -2°Wind 42 mphWalking very difficultFreezing level 2500 mLow cloud 72% | 5°C / feels 0°Wind 11 mphLightFreezing level 2200 mLow cloud 76% | 4°C / feels 0°Wind 13 mphLightLow cloud 96% |
| Slieve Donard850 m, Mourne Mountains | 5°C / feels 0°Wind 27 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 1500 mLow cloud 98% | 5°C / feels -1°Wind 28 mphHard going, buffetingFreezing level 1300 mLow cloud 92%Rain 6 mm | 4°C / feels 0°Wind 19 mphNoticeableFreezing level 1300 mLow cloud 77% | 4°C / feels 0°Wind 5 mphLightLow cloud 84% |
Source: Open-Meteo. Updated . Temperatures downscaled to summit height; wind at the 850 hPa level (about 1,500 m)
Wind words: under 15 mph light; 15 to 24 noticeable; 25 to 34 hard going; 35 to 49 very difficult; 50 and over, walking impossible on exposed ground.
Mountain weather: questions
Why is the summit so much colder than the forecast for the town below?
Air cools by roughly 6 to 7 degrees for every 1,000 metres of height, and the wind on an exposed top makes it feel much colder again. A mild 9°C day in Fort William can be below freezing with a wind chill of minus 8 on Ben Nevis.
What is free-air wind?
The wind at around 1,500 metres above sea level, away from the slowing effect of the ground. It is a better guide to what you meet on an exposed summit or ridge than the wind forecast for a town, which is measured 10 metres above flat ground.
What does the freezing level tell me?
The height at which the air is at 0°C. If it is below the summit, expect ice on rocks and paths, rime on cairns and, in winter, snow and possible avalanche risk. Above that height, rain can freeze on contact.
Is this enough to plan a hill day?
It is a good first look. For a serious day in the hills, also read the specialist mountain forecasts and, in winter in Scotland, the avalanche reports, and turn back if conditions are worse than forecast.