Mountain weather
Mourne Mountains Mountain weather forecast table
Confidence
High confidence in remaining generally cold. Moderate confidence in details for Sunday, low confidence in details from Monday onwards.
This evening forecast
Widespread cloud down to 200-400m and outbreaks of snow through the evening. Strong southerly winds with gales and a chance of gusts of 70mph or so over the highest summits, will combine to bring poor visibilities in blizzard conditions and a bitterly cold feel.
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
Dry start. Rain late morning. Bright spells, some showers later. Cold.
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weather (at 700m) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chance of precipitation (at 700m) |
60% | 20% | 30% | 90% | 50% | 40% | 40% | 50% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
S
35
|
SW
28
|
SW
24
|
SW
25
|
W
26
|
W
28
|
W
32
|
W
35
|
| 300m |
SW
17
|
SW
11
|
S
6
|
SW
9
|
W
13
|
W
16
|
W
15
|
W
16
|
| Valley |
S
13
|
SW
9
|
SW
5
|
SW
7
|
W
11
|
W
13
|
W
12
|
W
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 49 | 39 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 39 | 44 | 48 |
| 300m | 32 | 22 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 29 |
| Valley | 30 | 23 | 17 | 17 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 28 |
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
1°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
| 300m |
3°
|
4°
|
3°
|
3°
|
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
3°
|
| Valley |
4°
|
5°
|
4°
|
4°
|
6°
|
7°
|
5°
|
4°
|
| Freezing Level |
800m
|
900m
|
900m
|
1,000m
|
900m
|
800m
|
800m
|
700m
|
Altitude above mean sea level
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600m |
-8°
|
-4°
|
-4°
|
-5°
|
-5°
|
-4°
|
-6°
|
-8°
|
| 300m |
-2°
|
0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
0°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
-2°
|
| Valley |
0°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
1°
|
-1°
|
Additional weather information
Meteorologist's view
Gusts of 40-50mph at first will give very difficult walking conditions with progress highly impeded and a significant risk of being blown over, but winds reducing markedly through the early hours. Feeling cold at height so suitable clothing is advised.
Weather
Heavy rain or sleet and summit gales clearing soon after midnight. Then mostly dry with clear then bright spells before rain - sleet or snow above 700-800m - spreads east from mid-morning, heavy for a time. This clearing just after midday to allow some bright spells and some light showers to follow.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
70%, falling 30% for a time in late morning.
Low cloud and visibility
Often clear summits and good visibilities with patches of cloud around 500m or so. Cloud becoming widespread for a time in the late morning. Visibilities falling moderate or poor in showers or longer spells of rain or summit snow.
Mountain weather information
Weather
Bright spells and scattered showers through the day, perhaps forming longer spells of rain or summit snow at times, and wintry above 600-700m at first, down to 200-300m later in the day.
Chance of cloud-free hill tops
50%
Maximum wind speed expected
West veering northwest, then north; increasing to 30-40mph
Temperature
- At 700m Plus 2C falling to minus 2C
- Valley Plus 2C to plus 7C
- Freezing level 800m, falling to 200m later
Low cloud and visibility
Cloud becoming widespread to 400-600m and visibilities falling rapidly and temporarily poor as showers pass through. Between showers good visibilities and summits clear at times in more broken cloud.
Mountain weather information
Tue 17 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Chance of a few snow showers at first. Otherwise dry with bright spells. Freezing level around 200m. Light winds.
Wed 18 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Low confidence. Strengthening southeast winds. Chance of snow showers, or longer spells of snow.
Thu 19 Feb
Sunrise:
Sunset:
Low confidence. Likely dry with bright spells and light winds. Chance of further snow showers.
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 Mourne Mountains are a granite mountain range in County Down in the southeast of Northern Ireland, is an area of outstanding natural beauty, and has been proposed as the first National Park in Northern Ireland.