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

Yorkshire Dales Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for the resumption of unsettled conditions over the next few days, but lower for rain and cloud detail.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

This evening forecast

A dry evening with clear spells, allowing temperatures to drop. There is a risk of some patchy cloud developing, mainly in western parts of the Dales, with base around 400-500m. Visibility generally good, but very poor in any low cloud. Light winds.

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 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.

Mountain weather forecast

Dry, bright start clouding over with a spell of rain. Then colder, blustery conditions with showers turning wintry on higher ground.

Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 600m)
Partly cloudy (night) Fog Fog Cloudy Light rain Light shower (day) Sleet shower (day) Light snow shower (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 600m)
<05% <05% <05% 10% 60% 30% 20% 20%

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 SW
11
SW
12
SW
14
SW
20
W
20
W
22
W
20
W
17
300m SW
4
SW
6
SW
8
SW
13
W
16
W
17
W
15
W
11
Valley SW
2
SW
4
SW
7
SW
11
W
12
W
16
W
13
W
8
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 15 17 20 28 29 33 30 26
300m 10 12 16 24 29 31 28 23
Valley 9 11 16 21 24 30 26 19

Altitude above mean sea level
Time 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
300m
Valley
10°
10°
10°
10°
Freezing Level
1,800m
1,500m
1,700m
2,000m
1,100m
900m
700m
600m

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

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Be prepared for a change in temperatures, as it turns much colder later in the day, with strengthening winds bringing a significant wind chill.

Weather

Dry during the early hours with patchy cloud in western parts, perhaps isolated valley fog patches in the east. Early sunny spells giving way to thicker cloud by late morning, with outbreaks of light rain clearing by mid-afternoon. Then turning colder, with the wind strengthening and isolated blustery showers moving through, these wintry above 500m, and with a low risk of turning thundery.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

40%, becoming 80% during the afternoon.

Low cloud and visibility

Areas of cloud, base 400-500m, at first. This tending to lift a little as the day goes on, but clearing completely during the afternoon with cloud bases mostly above summits except in any showers. Visibility generally good, but moderate to poor in rain or wintry showers and very poor in low cloud covering the hills.

Recent rainfall

Location: Malham
Altitude: 375m
Last 24 hoursLast 48 hoursLast 72 hours
0mm0mm0.2mm
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

A chilly start. Dry but increasingly cloudy during the early hours and morning, although some hazy sunny spells are probable during the morning. Perhaps some outbreaks of light rain during the afternoon and evening. Initially light winds becoming strong later, with a risk of gales over the highest summits.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

95%

Maximum wind speed expected

South or southeast 20-30mph gusting 40-50mph during the late afternoon and evening.

Temperature

  • At 600m Zero C becoming plus 3 C.
  • Valley Zero C becoming plus 8 C.
  • Freezing level 500m rising above summits.

Low cloud and visibility

Cloud generally above the hilltops, with mostly good or very good visibility expected, although distant hills may become slightly hazy later.

Mountain weather information

Sat 11 Apr

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Early rain clearing to sunshine and isolated blustery showers, perhaps thundery and wintry later on highest summits. Strong southwesterly winds. Freezing level lowering near summits.

Sun 12 Apr

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Sunshine and blustery showers, perhaps thundery. Strong southwesterly winds. Freezing level rising just above summits.

Mon 13 Apr

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Sunshine and showers. Moderate southerly or southeasterly winds. Freezing level near or just above summits.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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