Mountain weather
Lake District Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High for changeable weather to continue for the next few days. Low for precipitation detail on a daily basis.
This evening forecast
Cloudy with rain and higher summit snow. Hill fog down to 700 to 900 metres. Strong to gale southeasterly summit winds.
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.
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.
Mountain weather forecast
Mainly dry, cold and windy
| 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) |
70% | 70% | 20% | 30% | 20% | 20% | 40% | 40% |
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
43
|
SE
33
|
SE
25
|
E
35
|
E
34
|
E
36
|
E
36
|
E
35
|
| 600m |
SE
28
|
SE
21
|
SE
18
|
SE
23
|
E
24
|
E
24
|
E
25
|
E
24
|
| 300m |
E
10
|
SE
9
|
SE
7
|
SE
9
|
E
11
|
E
9
|
E
10
|
E
11
|
| Valley |
E
10
|
SE
8
|
SE
7
|
E
9
|
E
11
|
E
11
|
E
11
|
E
11
|
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 | 53 | 41 | 32 | 43 | 44 | 47 | 47 | 46 |
| 600m | 41 | 31 | 27 | 33 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 37 |
| 300m | 33 | 26 | 21 | 27 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 |
| Valley | 30 | 22 | 19 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 26 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
0°
|
| 600m |
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
| 300m |
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
| Valley |
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
6°
|
8°
|
8°
|
7°
|
7°
|
| Freezing Level |
1,200m
|
1,100m
|
900m
|
800m
|
900m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
1,000m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900m |
-9°
|
-8°
|
-7°
|
-9°
|
-8°
|
-8°
|
-9°
|
-9°
|
| 600m |
-5°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
-3°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
| 300m |
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
2°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
| Valley |
3°
|
4°
|
4°
|
3°
|
5°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Strong winds at height will make for slow progress, significant wind chill and drenching conditions in any rain.
Weather
Rain and higher summit snow in the early hours, clearing away before dawn. Then mainly dry for the rest of the day with the chance of some early brightness. Outbreaks of rain, with wet snow on the highest tops, will develop in the evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
40%, best chance across the northern and western fells around first light
Low cloud and visibility
Poor in areas of cloud down to 700 to 900 metres, lowest bases across eastern fells. Less in the way of summit cloud towards the Irish Sea coast.
Ground conditions
Date: Thursday 22 January 2026 Location: Red Screes summit (776m) at 09:45 Full report: Persistent rain, strong winds. A foul day across the Lake District fells, with little respite from the weather. Strong to gale-force winds affected the summits and south-easterly upslopes, while persistent rain dominated throughout. Snow above around 700m continues to thaw, and existing cornices will become increasingly heavy as they absorb additional rain and the freezing level stays above the summits. The extensive cornices formed yesterday may fail, and any collapse could provide sufficient loading to trigger an avalanche on east through to north-west-facing slopes, particularly around Helvellyn. Ground conditions are deteriorating, with saturated terrain and stepped paths turning into watercourses overnight. Exposed routes, including Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, will be hazardous, as strong winds gust across ridges and funnel through mountain passes. Winds are forecast to strengthen further through the day. Air temperatures are hovering around high summits and are expected to drop slightly later, raising the possibility of sleet or snow on the highest ground. The wind chill (the temperature felt on exposed skin) is likely to remain in the minus double figures over the next few days, with gale-force winds continuing. Walkers should remain flexible with weekend plans and avoid falling into heuristic traps, such as a scarcity bias (e.g. "we're going up Helvellyn on Saturday regardless"). Lower fells or sheltered routes will be the safer option in these conditions. Temperature: plus 4;C, Maximum wind speed 37 mph, Wind chill: minus 1.3 C, Average wind speed: 26.2 mph
Mountain weather information
Weather
Rain and higher summit snow clearing away north during the early hours. Then the rest of the day will be cloudy and mainly dry. Further outbreaks of rain and higher summit snow will spread north later in the afternoon and evening.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
50%
Maximum wind speed expected
Southeasterly average speeds of 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph on the highest tops
Temperature
- At 800m Plus 3 Celsius
- Valley Plus 3 rising to 6 Celsius
- Freezing level Above summits
Low cloud and visibility
Poor in areas of cloud down to 700 to 900 metres, lowest bases across the east of the Park
Mountain weather information
Sun 25 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, some sleet or wet snow on the highest tops, at first and again later in the day. Light winds.
Mon 26 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Cloudy and windy with rain and higher summit snow spreading north during the day, most likely towards evening.
Tue 27 Jan
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Little change, remaining unsettled with further spells of rain and higher summit snow.
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.