Mountain weather
Lake District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for a spell of dry weather until Wednesday evening. Confidence then becoming low from Thursday for the details of areas of low pressure and precipitation.
This evening forecast
Mainly dry with clear spells and isolated showers, wintry above 400m. Fresh westerly winds and a severe wind chill on the tops. Freezing level 600m.
Mountain weather hazards
Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.
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.
Blizzards
Blizzards and whiteouts present challenging and serious conditions due to a combination of falling or blowing snow, strong winds and cold temperatures. They can be highly disorientating, often resulting in near-zero visibility with limited or no visual references and no distinction between ground and sky. Cliff edges and cornices may not be apparent, even close up. These conditions require very good navigational skills.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Dry, bright and rather cold for most of the day. Some sleet or snow in evening.
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 800m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 800m) |
<05% | <05% | <05% | <05% | <05% | <05% | 30% | 80% |
Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
W
21
|
W
19
|
SW
18
|
SW
18
|
S
24
|
S
27
|
S
29
|
S
35
|
| 600m |
W
18
|
W
17
|
SW
14
|
SW
14
|
SW
21
|
S
25
|
S
26
|
S
29
|
| 300m |
W
7
|
W
6
|
SW
5
|
SW
4
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
12
|
| Valley |
W
7
|
W
7
|
W
5
|
SW
5
|
S
10
|
S
10
|
S
12
|
S
13
|
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m | 26 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 31 | 35 | 38 | 44 |
| 600m | 27 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 30 | 35 | 38 | 42 |
| 300m | 21 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 30 |
| Valley | 21 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 27 | 29 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
-2°
|
| 600m |
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
| 300m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
4°
|
2°
|
2°
|
1°
|
| Valley |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
6°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| Freezing Level |
400m
|
500m
|
500m
|
600m
|
600m
|
600m
|
500m
|
400m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-10°
|
-10°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
-10°
|
-10°
|
-12°
|
| 600m |
-7°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-6°
|
-7°
|
-8°
|
-9°
|
| 300m |
-2°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
-2°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
| Valley |
1°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
2°
|
0°
|
0°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
A cold day with some ice on the ground but mainly dry and bright. Note conditions deteriorate quite quickly during the evening as rain, sleet or snow spread east with strong winds and severe wind chill.
Weather
Dry with clear spells overnight, a touch of frost in sheltered valleys. A dry morning with sunny spells then high cloud increasing during the afternoon. Outbreaks of sleet or snow, with rain below 300m, will spread east during the evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
90%, becoming 10% in the evening.
Low cloud and visibility
Mainly excellent visibility but some patchy low cloud at times on the tops. Conditions deteriorating in the evening with very poor visibility in snow with cloud becoming extensive above 400m.
Ground conditions
Date: Tuesday 13 January. Location: Blencathra Summit - 868m at 10:12. Temperature: minus 0.1C. Maximum wind speed 18.4mph. Wind chill: minus 7.9C. Average wind speed: 12.7mph. Full report: Today's report is from Blencathra summit - 868m. There was a notable contrast today between valley and summit level conditions. At the time of the report the valley was getting persistent rain, this changed to snow just above Scales Tarn at an altitude of about 650m, due to the wet ground it wasn't immediately settling but gradually the summit area started to transform with snow starting coat the ground. With snow showers continuing on and off and the freezing level dropping to about 700m through the day and overnight, expect a return to more severe winter conditions across the higher Lakeland summits, existing wet snow, lying water, remnants of old water ice and generally damp rock/ground will all transform above the freeze-line giving potentially challenging icy and slippery conditions. The areas of older wet and saturated snow will likely freeze into snow-ice (neve) and whilst crampons and ice axes are more effective on this type of snow, it is much more consequential in the event of a slip particularly where the slopes below run out onto scree and rocks. Over the coming days if venturing into the high fells dress for colder conditions and a low wind-chill again, and we would recommend packing crampons and an ice axe, particularly if actively seeking out steep snow or taking on more exposed routes, otherwise micro-spikes may be sufficient on less steep/exposed terrain.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Rain, sleet or snow will clear east overnight. A mixture of bright spells and a few showers during Thursday, wintry above 600m. There is a small chance of a spell of more persistent sleet or snow spreading north in the evening so keep up to date on the forecast.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20%, becoming 70% in afternoon.
Maximum wind speed expected
South 35mph gusts 45mph becoming SW 20mph gusts 30mph by dawn.
Temperature
- At 800m 0C.
- Valley Plus 6 or 7C.
- Freezing level 800 or 900m.
Low cloud and visibility
Rather extensive cloud above 500 or 600m overnight and in the morning then slowly lifting and breaking. Otherwise, visibility mainly good but poor at times in any showers. A small chance of poor visibility in the evening if rain, sleet or snow arrive.
Mountain weather information
Fri 16 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Any rain, sleet or snow clearing overnight. A rather cold day with sunny spells and a few showers, falling as snow above 600m. Winds expected to be mainly light. Freezing level 800m.
Sat 17 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Bright spells and scattered showers, wintry on the tops. Light southerly winds. Freezing level around 900m.
Sun 18 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
A lot of dry weather with bright spells and a few showers, wintry on the tops. Light southerly winds.
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 Lake District covers an area of 885 square miles with its highest point, Scafell Pike, standing at 978 metres.