Mountain weather
Yellow warning

Yellow weather warning in force for Lake District

Lake District Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for gradually becoming more settled through Friday and a largely fine day Saturday but confidence falling over timing of arrival of snow Sunday and then very low from Monday due to uncertainties over the track of a low, currently expected to move east across northern England.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

Cloudy with snow, perhaps occasionally heavy and falling initially as rain below about 450m, clearing across northern fells later this evening. Strengthening easterly winds with a severe chill effect.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.

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.

Mountain weather forecast

Cloudy start but becoming brighter with snow showers. Very cold

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
Light snow Light snow Light snow Cloudy Cloudy Light snow shower (day) Partly cloudy (night) Partly cloudy (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 800m)
60% 50% 50% 20% 20% 30% 20% 10%

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
31
NE
29
NE
26
NE
27
NE
25
NE
21
N
18
N
16
600m E
19
NE
18
NE
19
NE
20
NE
19
NE
16
N
13
N
10
300m NE
9
NE
9
NE
10
NE
10
NE
11
NE
9
N
6
N
5
Valley NE
11
NE
12
NE
13
NE
14
NE
15
NE
11
N
8
N
6
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 41 39 35 37 35 30 25 21
600m 29 27 29 30 29 26 20 16
300m 26 26 26 27 26 22 17 14
Valley 27 28 28 29 28 21 18 14

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
900m
-4°
-4°
-5°
-5°
-5°
-4°
-5°
-6°
600m
-2°
-2°
-3°
-3°
-2°
-2°
-3°
-4°
300m
-1°
-2°
Valley
Freezing Level
300m
300m
200m
100m
200m
200m
200m
100m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
900m
-14°
-14°
-14°
-15°
-13°
-12°
-13°
-13°
600m
-9°
-9°
-10°
-10°
-9°
-8°
-9°
-9°
300m
-4°
-4°
-5°
-5°
-4°
-3°
-4°
-5°
Valley
-1°
-2°
-2°
-2°
-1°
-1°
-2°

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Feeling bitterly cold despite the easing winds.

Weather

Cloudy through the early hours with outbreaks of mainly light snow clearing south. A cloudy morning with some snow across southern fells at first then a few snow showers pushing in from the east. The afternoon looks brighter with further snow showers, these dying out through the evening with long clear spells developing.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

Around 25% across southern and eastern fells through the morning, otherwise 75%

Low cloud and visibility

Periods of cloud above 450-600m across southern and eastern fells through the morning, otherwise cloud more occasional above 600-750m. Away from cloud visibility good or very good, falling to a kilometre or two in early snow and snow showers.

Ground conditions

Date: Thursday 12 February: Location: Helvellyn summit at 14:36 Temperature: minus 1.7°C. Maximum wind speed 27.8mph. Wind chill: minus 11.7°C. Average wind speed: 23.1mph Full report: After many days of thawing conditions through to summit level on Helvellyn, temperatures are now back below freezing and there was a fresh dusting of snow this morning to about 700m, additional fresh snow was settling to roughly 500m through the afternoon. Tomorrow it looks like the freeze-line will drop further and by Saturday we should have cold and clear conditions across the fells! The drop in temperatures has transformed the mountain today back to feeling very wintery with the additional light snow cover, rime ice building in the wind, and most notably, the old wet snow now being transformed into generally hard snow-ice (neve), this has made any areas, such as the headwall and upper reaches of Swirral Edge, where there was old snow in place, now very slippery and often with consequential fall-lines onto scree or snow free terrain below. So with this in mind, micro-spikes would be recommended on all easier approaches to the summit, and crampons and an ice axe on any steep or exposed terrain, particularly where old snow has become snow-ice (the classic Edges and headwall area for example). The drop in temperatures also mean full winter clothing, layers, hat and gloves are all essential for comfortable travel. Other essentials such as a group shelter, goggles, map and compass, and headtorch are all particularly important to have packed now with a return to full winter conditions on the fells. For the well prepared, its looking like a few nice winter days ahead on the high fells! https://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/ This is an automated email. If you need a response please email [email protected]

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Largely clear and dry overnight. Then a dry and sunny day, although the sunshine will turn hazy through the afternoon as cloud above the summits increases. Cloud thickens through the evening but it should remain dry.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

100% through daylight hours, but falling through the evening.

Maximum wind speed expected

Northerly becoming Variable 05-10mph becoming Southerly 15 to 20mph through the afternoon, then increasing 25-30mph through the evening, with gusts around 50mph over ridges and summits.

Temperature

  • At 800m Around minus 6 Celsius rising to minus 3 Celsius
  • Valley Around minus 3 or 4 Celsius at dawn rising to plus 4 or 5 Celsius through the day
  • Freezing level All levels rising to 300m

Low cloud and visibility

Very good or excellent with good panoramic views of surrounding fells and lakes.

Mountain weather information

Sun 15 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloudy with occasionally heavy snow, turning increasingly to rain below about 750m, spreading east in morning clearing to wintry showers in afternoon. Strong to gale force southerly winds veering southwesterly and easing. Freezing level rising to 900m, falling to 750m later.

Mon 16 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mostly cloudy with showers or longer spells of occasionally heavy rain and, mainly above about 600m, snow. Fresh southwesterly winds turning northerly and strengthening. Freezing level 750m-1000m.

Tue 17 Feb

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mainly dry with sunny spells. Strong northerly winds easing, freshening easterly winds later. Freezing level 750m falling to 300m or less.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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