The day on the hill
A fine day on Butser Hill: dry, with light winds and clear tops for most of the day.
Wind
On the summit expect light winds of up to 15 mph, mainly easterly, with gusts of 15–25 mph at the windiest. Lower down on the open hillside the wind will be light, under 10 mph.
Cloud and visibility
The tops are likely to stay mostly clear of cloud, though brief patches cannot be ruled out. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views as long as the tops stay clear.
Rain and ground
It should stay dry.
Warmth and kit
On the tops it will be around 4 to 8°C, feeling like 2 to 6°C in the wind. The freezing level is above the summits. Take a warm layer and a hat for the top.
Daylight
Sunset is around 4:30pm, so allow time to get off the hill before dark, and carry a head torch.
Sunshine context Model-grid estimate, not summit sunshine
The surrounding model grid indicates 5.3 h of sunshine. This is not a forecast of time in sunshine on the summit. Use the cloud and views outlook above for the conditions on this mountain.
- Early
- 2 h
- Midday
- 2.3 h
- Later
- 0 h
Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaA good night for a wild camp: dry, with light winds. 85Excellent · 300 m View detailsHide details
Full overnight outlook
A good night for a wild camp. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 15 mph. It should stay dry. Overnight lows of about 5°C at 300 m. A 3-season bag rated to about 2°C comfort, and a warm mat, should do. Allow more if you sleep cold.
Moon overnight
Waning crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 11%
- Moonrise
- 03:53 next morning GMT
- Moonset
- Outside this window
Extensive cloud may limit moonlight. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 5 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 6 Nov, 08:00 GMT. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 10 mph / 17 mph
- Typical / low
- 6.3°C / 5.1°C · much of the night
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
Warmth planning: As a broad starting point, consider a 3-season bag with an ISO/EN comfort rating at or below about 2°C. Allow more margin if you sleep cold or expect fatigue, and use an adequate insulated mat. Dampness is possible, so keep the sleep system dry and ensure its insulation remains effective if damp.
Open-hillside reference. A sheltered pitch may be calmer; cols and ridges may be much windier. Tent design and the exact pitch still matter. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.
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Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaExcellent conditions for exposed scrambling. Excellent95 View detailsHide details
Full climbing & scrambling outlook
Excellent conditions for exposed scrambling. The rock should be mostly dry, though drainage lines and shaded holds may still be damp. The rock around the summit is mostly chalk, a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds. These are general notes for each rock type, taken from geological maps around the summit, so the rock on your line may differ.
Chalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds. These are general notes for each rock type, from geological map samples at and around the summit. The rock on your line can differ, and lichen, vegetation and seepage all change how it feels underfoot.
Rock groups along the sampled routes
These are mapped rock groups, not separate weather forecasts or a ranking of route safety.
Popular Butser Hill
limestone
Geological detail and BGS records
5 rock types appear in the mapped samples
Samples around the summit inform the main rock-response profile, with the summit pin shown separately where it differs. Route samples add further context, but this is not a continuous geological survey.
Chalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds.
BGS recordChalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds.
BGS recordChalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds.
BGS recordChalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds.
BGS recordChalk is a soft white limestone. It has little grip and is very slippery when wet. It is soft and crumbly and not to be trusted for holds.
BGS recordGeneric exposed scrambling terrain; BGS summit-area bedrock samples are included where available, but route grade, exact rock, polish, drainage and escape options remain unresolved. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.
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Overnight · Aurora, stars & meteorsAfter darkBetaSome forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. View forecastClose forecast
After dark: aurora and stargazing
Night beginning 2026-11-05. All times are UK local time.
Using the last available sky forecast, updated at 23:03 GMT on 5 Nov. Cloud conditions may have changed. Live aurora guidance is temporarily unavailable.
Stargazing
Mixed sky conditions during the best available spell: 5 Nov, 22:00 GMT to 23:00 GMT.
Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time.
Moon-free dark sky: 5 Nov, 18:25 GMT to 6 Nov, 04:00 GMT.
Sky conditions through the night
| Time | Viewing conditions |
|---|---|
| 5 Nov, 18:25 GMT to 19:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 5 Nov, 19:00 GMT to 20:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 5 Nov, 20:00 GMT to 21:00 GMT | Mixed sky conditions Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. Forecast models disagree. |
| 5 Nov, 21:00 GMT to 22:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. Forecast models disagree. |
| 5 Nov, 22:00 GMT to 23:00 GMT | Mixed sky conditions Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. Forecast models disagree. |
| 5 Nov, 23:00 GMT to 6 Nov, 00:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 6 Nov, 00:00 GMT to 01:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 6 Nov, 01:00 GMT to 02:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 6 Nov, 02:00 GMT to 03:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 6 Nov, 03:00 GMT to 04:00 GMT | Poor sky conditions Mostly cloudy, so little chance of seeing the stars. |
| 6 Nov, 04:00 GMT to 05:00 GMT | Mixed sky conditions Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. Forecast models disagree. |
| 6 Nov, 05:00 GMT to 05:10 GMT | Mixed sky conditions Some forecasts show clear spells, others keep it cloudy; check again nearer the time. Forecast models disagree. |
Moon, darkness and meteor showers
Crescent moon, about 10% illuminated.
Moonrise around 6 Nov, 04:00 GMT.
Full darkness: 5 Nov, 18:25 GMT to 6 Nov, 05:10 GMT.
Moon times assume an open horizon. Hills can hide the Moon sooner. Moon-free does not mean cloud-free.
Southern Taurids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
Orionids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
Northern Taurids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
Leonids are active on this night. Activity may be much lower away from the peak.
- Southern Taurids: peak around 10 October 2026.
- Orionids: peak around 21 October 2026.
- Northern Taurids: peak around 12 November 2026.
- Leonids: peak around 18 November 2026.
- Geminids: peak around 14 December 2026.
- Ursids: peak around 22 December 2026.
Dates from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Activity dates do not guarantee visible meteors. Look across a broad, dark sky, not only north.
Darkness of the surroundings
Estimated darkness rank 956 of 980 assessed peaks (1 is darkest), based on surrounding artificial light in 2021. This is not a measurement of tonight’s sky.
2021 artificial-light baseline, not measured sky brightness or a Bortle class. Changes to lighting, blue-rich LEDs, terrain screening, atmospheric scattering and cloud-reflected light are not resolved. Similar ranks are not meaningfully distinct. Darkness is not a recommendation to climb a summit at night.
VIIRS nighttime lights: Earth Observation Group, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines. Reprocessed by OpenGeoHub/OpenLandMap. Cropped and ranked by Mountain Weather.
Sky-weather grades exclude light pollution, terrain and thin haze. They are not mountain safety ratings. Check the mountain and camping forecast separately. Accessible lower viewpoints may be a better choice than summits.
Explore the dedicated aurora forecast, meteor shower forecast or dark-sky and astrophotography forecast.
Recommended kit for this dayWeather-aware packing prompts, plus your core hillwalking kitView kit
For a day hillwalk, not a complete route-specific checklist. Carry navigation and backup you can use, warm and waterproof layers, suitable footwear, food and water, a headtorch, emergency shelter, first aid and a way to call for help. Snow, ice, technical terrain and overnight trips need additional equipment and skills.
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