Lake District mountain weather forecast.

The Lakeland fells. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Lake District

Thursday 22 October 2026 · The Lakeland fells

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

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

What matters most

A mixed day in the Lake District, with rain for much of the day.

High-ground wind · 800 m20-30 mph southwesterly Gusts · 800 m25-35 mph Cloud base1200-1600 m Feels like · 800 m-4 to 0°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Cloud becoming more extensive. Cloud cover is likely to increase as sunshine becomes less frequent.

Modelled sunshine8.9 h89% of daylight
Early2 h sunshine
Midday4 h sunshine
Later0.9 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 · 08:00–12:00MixedSummit winds around 20-30 mph. Gusts around 30-40 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Some early summit cloud is possible.
69
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 15-30 mph. Gusts around 30-40 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
61

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

01

High-ground wind (800 m)

At around 800 m, expect a south-westerly 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

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.

04

Rain and showers

Rain for much of the day, becoming heavier through the afternoon. Expect 5–10 mm in total. 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 80% early, about 90% around midday and about 70% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay mostly clear of cloud.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 800 m it will be 2 to 6°C, feeling like -4 to 0°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 07:54, Sunset 17:59, about 10.1 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch above about 600 m on some hills (gusts of about 50 mph and around 12 mm of rain). Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. 19Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 22 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Too windy for an exposed pitch above about 600 m on some hills. Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. Gusts reach about 50 mph around 900 m and nearer 35 mph around 300 m, enough to damage a tent on open ground. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 12 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Up around 900 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 5°C at 900 m.

Overnight rain11.5 mmOpen ground · 600 m27 mph · gusts 43 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
88%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
04:18 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: 22 Oct, 17:00 BST to 23 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 54.454, -3.212. Times vary across the area.

300 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
22 mph / 36 mph
Coldest
6.2°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m19 · very poor
Wind / gust
27 mph / 43 mph
Coldest
6.2°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
900 m9 · very poor
Wind / gust
32 mph / 51 mph
Coldest
5.4°C
In cloud
93% 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 35 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 42Poor · 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 (42/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 35 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes volcanic rock, sandstone or gritstone and slate or mudstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust35 mphRain9.7 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits4 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
volcanic rock 50% 4 representative summitsOften grippy when dry, but volcanic rocks vary widely; wet lichen, smooth holds and local seepage can still make them slippery.sandstone or gritstone 25% 2 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.slate or mudstone 12% 1 representative summitOften positive when dry, but smooth, polished or slabby sections can become markedly more slippery when damp.unclassified rock 12% 1 representative summitGrip and drying behaviour are not well resolved here; treat damp rock conservatively and check the surface directly.

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 16 October 2026 at 05:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lake District.

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.