A drystone wall leading up a hill in the Yorkshire Dales.
Mountain weather

Yorkshire Dales Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for the changeable conditions, but details on Friday and through the weekend remain Moderate. This includes he extent of any showers, and cloud heights. High confidence for turning colder Saturday, though moderate for extent of any snow at height. Confidence becoming more widely Low by Tuesday, especially with the extent of low cloud and spells of rain or drizzle.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

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.

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 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.
hazard 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.

Mountain weather forecast

Rain clearing to showers early afternoon. Brisk winds. Freezing level lowering.

Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 600m)
Heavy rain Light rain Sunny intervals Sleet shower (day) Light snow Light snow shower (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 600m)
80% 60% 20% 30% 30% 20%

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m SW
18
W
16
W
15
W
21
W
18
W
15
300m SW
9
W
6
W
10
W
14
W
10
W
7
Valley SW
8
W
4
W
10
W
13
W
8
W
4
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m 25 20 19 28 24 22
300m 21 14 17 25 23 20
Valley 21 10 17 24 19 17

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
300m
Valley
10°
10°
Freezing Level
1,700m
1,600m
1,000m
800m
700m
500m

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
-4°
-5°
300m
Valley

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Early milder temperatures and wetter weather will clear to colder, and sunnier conditions, requiring a range of both waterproof and warm layers. Descents could also become tricky, with the potential for icy stretches to develop at height.

Weather

A wet start to the day, with rain, heavy at times, and only erratically easing though the morning, By midday some brighter or sunny spells are likely, with a few hours of largely fine and dry conditions developing. However showers will follow later in the day, becoming heavier and more frequent for a time. It will also turn colder, with brisk winds and the snow level gradually dropping to around 300m by dusk.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

10% through the morning. Increasing to 80% as rain clears early afternoon.

Low cloud and visibility

Cloud will obscure most routes from above 400m through the morning. However this will lift and break during the early afternoon with only scattered cloud at around 700m from mid-afternoon, mainly during any showers. Outside of cloud visibility will be moderate to poor at first with the rain, but improving to be widely very good to excellent during the afternoon, but with further spells of moderate in any heavy showers.

Recent rainfall

Location: Malham
Altitude: 375m
Last 24 hoursLast 48 hoursLast 72 hours
2mm4.2mm50.7mm
Measurement date:

Rainfall data provided by the Environment Agency. The Met Office is not responsible for content provided by third parties and may remove this data without warning.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Rather cloudy start with showers or longer periods of rain, snow above 300m, and the risk of hail and thunder. Showers easing through the afternoon and evening. Strong summit winds.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

30% becoming 80% for the afternoon

Maximum wind speed expected

West 25-30mph gusting 35-45mph.

Temperature

  • At 600m Minus 1 Celsius rising to Plus 2 Celsius.
  • Valley Plus 2 Celsius rising to Plus 10 Celsius
  • Freezing level 400m

Low cloud and visibility

Period of cloud likely during the morning, obscuring many routes above 500m. This will break and clear by the afternoon, but further spells of cloud likely to return above 700m with any showers. Otherwise visibility will be very good, but falling to moderate, perhaps briefly poor, in any showers.

Mountain weather information

Sun 29 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cold start, with high cloud above summits. Period of rain then likely around midday, with freezing levels rising from 600m to be above summits. Rain clearing through the afternoon, with sunny spells following.

Mon 30 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mainly dry, with scattered cloud and only a few showers around. Cloud increasing from the west later in the day. Freezing level around 600m.

Tue 31 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mild and cloudy with spells of rain or drizzle and summit tops likely shrouded with the cloud. Breezy at first, but winds easing later. Freezing level above the summits.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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