Mountain weather

Mountain weather

Peak District

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amber Warning
Amber weather warnings in force for Peak District

Confidence

High for prevailing theme of gradual reduction in temperatures, low for thundery shower detail Friday and over the weekend.

Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

Strong Sunlight
Harmful UV levels from sunlight increase with altitude giving a greater risk of sunburn and eye damage, even on some overcast days. On breezy days, the cooling effect of wind on exposed skin may disguise any feeling of sunburn until it is too late. If there is snow cover, glare increases the effect of UV rays especially on the eyes. It is advisable to wear sun block, protective clothing such as a long-sleeved top and hat and have good quality eye protection.

Thunderstorms
Lightning is a significant mountain hazard which can result in serious injury or death. Mountain terrain often leaves one highly exposed to lightning strikes. Hail may give unpleasant conditions with torrential rain and localised flash flooding also possible, mainly in Summer months.

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.
Heavy Persistent Rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.
Updated: 
Mountain hazards explained

Mountain weather forecast

Arduous conditions. Very warm and humid with the risk of thunderstorms.

Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
Weather
(at 800m)
 Weather symbols Thundery showers Thundery showers Sunny intervals Thundery showers Sunny intervals Clear night
Chance of
precipitation
(at 800m)
 Chance of precipitation
40%
40%
20%
30%
20%
20%

Wind direction and speed

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
600m
 600m S 16mph knots
S
16mph
 S 11mph knots
S
11mph
 SW 12mph knots
SW
12mph
 SW 17mph knots
SW
17mph
 W 15mph knots
W
15mph
 SW 14mph knots
SW
14mph
300m
 300m SE 12mph knots
SE
12mph
 S 8mph knots
S
8mph
 S 11mph knots
S
11mph
 SW 15mph knots
SW
15mph
 W 12mph knots
W
12mph
 SW 8mph knots
SW
8mph
Valley
 Valley SE 5mph knots
SE
5mph
 S 6mph knots
S
6mph
 S 9mph knots
S
9mph
 SW 12mph knots
SW
12mph
 W 10mph knots
W
10mph
 SW 6mph knots
SW
6mph

Wind gust

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
600m
 600m 22mph 14mph 16mph 23mph 21mph 21mph
300m
 300m 19mph 11mph 15mph 21mph 19mph 15mph
Valley
 Valley 14mph 10mph 15mph 22mph 18mph 15mph

Altitude above mean sea level
Time
 Time
06:00
09:00
12:00
15:00
18:00
21:00
600m
 600m 22 degrees Celsius 23 degrees Celsius 24 degrees Celsius 23 degrees Celsius 19 degrees Celsius 16 degrees Celsius
300m
 300m 24 degrees Celsius 26 degrees Celsius 27 degrees Celsius 27 degrees Celsius 22 degrees Celsius 19 degrees Celsius
Valley
 Valley 26 degrees Celsius 28 degrees Celsius 30 degrees Celsius 29 degrees Celsius 24 degrees Celsius 20 degrees Celsius
Freezing Level Freezing Level
3800m
3800m
3700m
3300m
3200m
3100m

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

The risk of heavy showers or thunderstorms may give localised strong gusts in advance of these occurring, with the direction varying substantially with time and with sudden onset possible, hence the low risk of gales.

Weather

A swathe of thundery showers should spread northeast during the morning, with a risk of frequent lightning, hail and markedly strong gusts, although not all areas will see these. By day, thundery outbreaks should give way to lengthy hazy sunny periods through the morning, becoming widely very warm once again, but in turn perhaps triggering further heavy showers or thunderstorms later in the day. Early cloud may prove deceptive: eventual strong sunshine is likely, with high humidity adding to the arduous conditions.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

Greater than 90%

Low cloud and visibility

Some early low-level haziness, otherwise chance of localised significant drops in visibility in thundery showers. Cloud should be clear of peaks, although periods of medium and high-level cloud expected.

Ground conditions

No recent ground conditions report available.

Summit specific forecast

The Peak District is home to a wide variety of magnificent hills, moors, outcrops and gritstone edges.

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