Mountain weather
Lake District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for unsettled with an east to southeast flow, but lowering for timing detail of worst of conditions.
This evening forecast
Cloudy with occasional light patchy snow and low level rain which will be focused across the east of the Park. Cold at height in fresh to strong easterly summit winds. Freezing level 400m.
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.
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
Snow and rain easing for the afternoon as freezing level lifts. Cold in fresh to strong summit winds.
| 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) |
90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 40% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
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 |
E
23
|
E
28
|
E
24
|
SE
20
|
SE
22
|
SE
25
|
SE
28
|
E
33
|
| 600m |
E
19
|
E
17
|
E
17
|
SE
20
|
SE
19
|
SE
20
|
SE
22
|
E
21
|
| 300m |
E
8
|
E
7
|
E
6
|
SE
5
|
SE
6
|
SE
4
|
SE
6
|
E
8
|
| Valley |
E
5
|
E
4
|
NE
6
|
E
6
|
E
5
|
SE
4
|
E
6
|
E
7
|
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 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 35 | 41 |
| 600m | 28 | 25 | 25 | 31 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 31 |
| 300m | 23 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 27 |
| Valley | 10 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-2°
|
-3°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
| 600m |
-1°
|
-1°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
2°
|
1°
|
2°
|
| 300m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
| Valley |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
6°
|
7°
|
6°
|
6°
|
| Freezing Level |
400m
|
400m
|
500m
|
600m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
900m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-9°
|
-11°
|
-10°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-5°
|
-8°
|
-9°
|
| 600m |
-8°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-7°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
| 300m |
-2°
|
-2°
|
-1°
|
0°
|
2°
|
3°
|
1°
|
1°
|
| Valley |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Very difficult conditions for the morning in hill fog, snow and with a severe wind chill at height. Gusts may be 10-15mph higher than the figures stated above at higher levels.
Weather
Overcast start with occasional outbreaks of light to moderate snow and at lower levels rain. Outbreaks turning light and patchy from around mid-day with snow level becoming confined to the higher peaks from mid-afternoon as the freezing level lifts.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20% becoming 40-50% for the afternoon
Low cloud and visibility
Moderate or poor in rain, very poor in snow and within cloud with bases quite extensive from around 700m, before lifting and breaking a little for the afternoon.
Ground conditions
Fell Top Assessors report Date: Tuesday 3 February Location: Helvellyn summit at 12:00 Full report: Bitterly Cold, Hard Snow. Bitterly cold conditions dominated the Lake District on Tuesday, with strong easterly winds drawing in Siberian air. Above around 700 m on Helvellyn (roughly two-thirds of the way up) it looked and felt truly Arctic. Full snow cover concealed paths and tracks, and poor visibility persisted for much of the day. These conditions would have been completely missed from the valley, where brief spells of sunshine contrasted starkly with high fells shrouded in cloud. Strong downslope gusts from the east made even straightforward progress from the western approaches arduous. Paths and tracks are now compacted to hard snow-ice, heavily pitted with frozen footprints that are unforgiving underfoot. Care is required to avoid slips or twisted ankles. Snowfields across the Helvellyn massif have transformed overnight from soft snow into firm névé (hard, refrozen snow). In these conditions, crampons or micro-spikes are essential. The seriousness of venturing high on Helvellyn or other high fells should not be underestimated. Wind chill values dropped to around -17 °C, with near 50mph winds affecting the upper mountain. Verglas (black ice), alongside hard névé, is present on both Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, making travel extremely challenging today. Rime ice has also rapidly formed, feathering rocks as moist air froze on contact in the strong wind. Although temperatures are forecast to rise slightly through Wednesday, today's prolonged sub-zero conditions will continue to influence snow firmness and ice development. Full winter kit is essential, including an ice axe and the skills to use it effectively on steep ground. Crampons or micro-spikes are required, along with a comprehensive emergency kit: first aid, shelter and blizzard/bivvy bag, and ample spare insulation-including extra hats and gloves. 'Getting to the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory' Temperature: minus 3.7C, Maximum wind speed 47.5mph, Wind chill: minus 15.9C, Average wind speed: 42.8mph
Mountain weather information
Weather
Periods of snow, below 600m rain, most persistent in the east and heavier later in the day. Strong to gale summit winds.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
20% becoming 10% during the afternoon
Maximum wind speed expected
Easterly 30-40 mph with gusts reaching 45-55mph across more exposed ridges and summits.
Temperature
- At 800m Zero to minus 1 Celsius
- Valley Plus 3 rising to 7 Celsius for the afternoon
- Freezing level 600-800m by day
Low cloud and visibility
Moderate or poor in rain, very poor in snow and within cloud with bases quite extensive from around 700m.
Mountain weather information
Fri 6 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Periods of rain summit snow, occasionally heavy and more persistent late in the day and in the east. Strong easterly summit winds.
Sat 7 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Occasional rain and summit snow, most persistent in the east. Fresh easterly summit winds.
Sun 8 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Occasional rain, most persistent in the east. Fresh easterly summit 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.