Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) mountain weather forecast.

The central Beacons, Black Mountains and Fforest Fawr. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Thursday 15 October 2026 · The central Beacons, Black Mountains and Fforest Fawr

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing. Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A poor day on the tops in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), with burns likely to be in spate and strong, gusty winds.

High-ground wind · 700 m30-40 mph southwesterly Gusts · 700 m40-50 mph Cloud base400-700 m Feels like · 700 m4 to 8°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Sunshine through the day. The time blocks show where the model places the brighter spells.

Modelled sunshineLess than 1 hour2% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
Midday0 h sunshine
Later0 h sunshine

These are direct modelled sunshine hours during daylight, not the probability of sunshine. Cloud cover and summit cloud are assessed separately in the forecast above. The regional median prevents one unusually bright or dull summit cell defining the whole area.

Overnight forecast: 17:00–08:00 (UK local time), in Wild camping below.

Morning · 08:00–12:00PoorSummit winds around 20-45 mph. Gusts around 50-60 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges. Cloud may restrict summit views early on.
41
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 20-35 mph. Gusts around 40-50 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.
18

Conservative regional grades across representative summits, so one sheltered hill does not overstate the wider area.

01

High-ground wind (700 m)

At around 700 m, expect a south-westerly wind of 30–40 mph, gusting 40–50 mph. Gusts like that are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 40–50 mph are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

03

Spate risk

High spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may become difficult or impassable. Timing and severity can vary between catchments. Check the peak forecast for the separate rain/runoff periods. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

04

Rain and showers

A band of rain moves in during the early afternoon and becomes heavier through the afternoon. Expect 5–10 mm in total. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 45% early, about 10% around midday and about 10% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

Expect many summits to be in cloud for most of the day. The cloud base could be as low as 500–800 m early in the morning. In cloud you'll be finding your way without landmarks, so carry navigation you trust and know how to use, with a backup such as a spare battery or a map and compass.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 700 m it will be 8 to 12°C, feeling like 4 to 8°C in the wind. A windproof and an extra layer for stops will help. Pack waterproofs too, and keep a warm layer dry in your pack.

08

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:37, Sunset 18:20, about 10.7 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch around 900 m on some hills (gusts of about 35 mph and heavy rain, around 20 mm). Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. 39Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 15 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Too windy for an exposed pitch around 900 m on some hills. Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. Gusts reach about 35 mph on open ground, which makes for a noisy, testing night even in a good tent. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 21 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Up around 600 m you'd likely be in cloud for part of the night: damp, and hard to find your way if you need to move. Overnight lows of about 7°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain20.9 mmOpen ground · 600 m17 mph · gusts 35 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing crescent moon

Illuminated disc
26%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
20:06 BST

Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.

Overnight window: 15 Oct, 17:00 BST to 16 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 51.884, -3.437. Times vary across the area.

300 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
15 mph / 29 mph
Coldest
6.9°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
17 mph / 35 mph
Coldest
6.9°C
In cloud
67% of modelled night
Condensation
High

Open-hillside guidance across representative hills. Local shelter, ridges, tent design and the exact pitch can change conditions substantially. Read about sleeping-bag comfort ratings, pitching in strong winds or using the wild-camping forecast.

Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaWet rock is likely. Gusts near 50 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 0Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
Regional rock conditions · sampled mountain terrain

Regional climbing & scrambling outlook

A broad guide to dampness and exposed rock across the area, not a forecast for every crag. Lower, sheltered crags and individual rock types may behave differently.

Conditions for exposed scrambling across the area look very poor (0/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 50 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes sandstone or gritstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust51 mphRain7.5 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits1 broad familySummit samples, not a survey of every crag
sandstone or gritstone 100% 8 representative summitsUsually rough and grippy when dry. Damp sandstone and gritstone can feel greasy, and saturated sandstone may be weakened, so let the rock dry fully.

Representative summit-point samples across the region; individual crags and routes may differ.

Generic exposed hands-on-rock terrain across representative summits; mapped summit-point geology is a broad regional sample, not a named-route survey. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling 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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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.

Updated 15 October 2026 at 15:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons).

More context for your hill day

Check the approach as well as the tops

Compare midge conditions by day and height, or look for a possible cloud inversion. For Snowdon and Tryfan, camera-derived cloud-base observations add a view of conditions already seen on the slopes.