Dartmoor mountain weather forecast.

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

Mountain Weather brief

Dartmoor

Tuesday 20 October 2026 · The high moor and tors

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

A comparable model-confidence estimate is not available for this forecast.

What matters most

A good day in Dartmoor: light winds and clear tops for most of the day.

High-ground wind · 500 m10-20 mph easterly Gusts · 500 m15-25 mph Cloud base400-800 m Feels like · 500 m4 to 8°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Extensive cloud. Cloud is likely to remain extensive for much of the day.

Modelled sunshine0 h0% of daylight
Early0 h 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 · 08:00–12:00GoodSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud is more persistent early in this period, with better prospects later. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning, while others keep it mostly dry.
79
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00GoodSummit winds around 5-15 mph. Gusts around 15-25 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.
77

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 an easterly wind of 10–20 mph, gusting 15–25 mph.

02

Walking impact

Noticeable on exposed ground, but unlikely to impede most walking.

03

Rain and showers

Drizzle for much of the day. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning and afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.

04

Cloud-free summits

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

05

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay clear of cloud all day. It looks hazy, though, so the views from the tops may be limited.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 500 m it will be 6 to 10°C, feeling like 4 to 8°C in the wind. Take a warm layer and a hat for the top. Pack waterproofs too, and keep a warm layer dry in your pack.

07

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:45, Sunset 18:14, about 10.5 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a reasonable night to camp, with a well-chosen pitch: gusts of about 25 mph. 64Mixed · 300 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Tuesday 20 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a reasonable night to camp, with a well-chosen pitch. Gusts reach about 25 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the east. Some light rain is forecast overnight. The air is damp around 300 m, so expect heavy condensation. Leave the vents open. Overnight lows of about 6°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain1.2 mmOpen ground · 300 m12 mph · gusts 25 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
72%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
01:52 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: 20 Oct, 17:00 BST to 21 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 m64 · mixed
Wind / gust
12 mph / 25 mph
Coldest
6.5°C
In cloud
0% 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. 55Mixed · Mixed 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 mixed (55/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes granite, gneiss or gabbro. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust22 mphRain1.6 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 Tuesday 20 October 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.

Open the questions to take part.

About the research and your privacy · Already been out? Share that experience instead

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

Updated 14 October 2026 at 15:27 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.