Dartmoor mountain weather forecast.

The high moor and tors. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Dartmoor

Monday 19 October 2026 · The high moor and tors

Confidence: Medium Why?

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

What matters most

A mixed day in Dartmoor: breezy, with clear tops for most of the day.

High-ground wind · 500 m20-30 mph southeasterly Gusts · 500 m25-35 mph Cloud base600-1200 m Feels like · 500 m-2 to 2°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

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

Modelled sunshine4.6 h42% of daylight
Early0 h sunshine
Midday1.9 h sunshine
Later1 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 10-25 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning, while others keep it mostly dry.
49
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedSummit winds around 15-30 mph. Gusts around 30-40 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.
60

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

01

High-ground wind (500 m)

At around 500 m, expect a south-easterly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 25–35 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 25–35 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

03

Thunderstorms

There is a small chance of a thunderstorm from late morning into midday. If you hear thunder, head down off the tops and away from ridges. If a thunderstorm develops, sudden gusts and heavy rain can change conditions quickly.

04

Rain and showers

Spells of rain through the day. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning, while others keep it mostly dry. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Drizzle is possible on some hills. Visibility may drop briefly in showers in parts of the area.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 90% around midday and about 90% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay clear of cloud all day. The air should be clear too, so expect far-reaching views from the tops.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 500 m it will be 4 to 8°C, feeling like -2 to 2°C in the wind. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer. 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 07:44, Sunset 18:16, about 10.5 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a good night for a wild camp: dry, with light winds. 81Good · 300 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Monday 19 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a good night for a wild camp. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 25 mph. It should stay dry. Overnight lows of about 4°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain0.0 mmOpen ground · 300 m9 mph · gusts 24 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
63%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
00:38 next morning BST

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

Overnight window: 19 Oct, 17:00 BST to 20 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 50.685, -4.011. Times vary across the area.

300 m81 · promising
Wind / gust
9 mph / 24 mph
Coldest
3.8°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low

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 & scramblingBetaA small chance of a thunderstorm in parts of the area. Avoid exposed scrambling if storms develop. Wet rock is likely. Gusts near 30 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 6Poor · 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 (6/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 30 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes granite, gneiss or gabbro. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes. A small chance of a thunderstorm in parts of the area. Storm timing is uncertain, so avoid committing to exposed rock if storms may develop.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust32 mphRain1.2 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits1 broad familySummit samples, not a survey of every crag
granite, gneiss or gabbro 100% 5 representative summitsGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery.

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.

Does the weather shape your plans?Optional hill-user research. One answer helps; further questions are up to you.Take part

Help the Mountain Decisions Project understand how forecasts influence hill days, including when plans stay the same. Findings will be shared publicly as summaries, not individual responses.

This is about Dartmoor on Monday 19 October 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.

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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.

Updated 19 October 2026 at 05:31 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Dartmoor.

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.