Lewis and Harris
A fine day in Lewis and Harris: light winds and clear tops for most of the day, though expect spells of drizzle.
Sunshine and sky
Cloud breaking up. Brighter spells should become more frequent as cloud breaks.
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.
High-ground wind (700 m)
At around 700 m, expect a north-westerly wind of 10–20 mph, gusting 15–25 mph.
Walking impact
Noticeable on exposed ground, but unlikely to impede most walking.
Ground conditions
The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.
Rain and showers
Spells of drizzle, mostly in the early afternoon. Expect 2–5 mm in total.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 90% around midday and about 90% later.
Cloud and visibility
The tops should stay clear of cloud all day.
Temperature and wind chill
At around 700 m it will be 2 to 6°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.
Freezing level
The freezing level is above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 08:03, Sunset 18:20, about 10.3 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the cold: dry, with light winds. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the cold. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 15 mph. It should stay dry. Overnight lows of about 4°C at 300 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 34%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 20:12 BST
Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 16 Oct, 17:00 BST to 17 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Representative location: 57.964, -6.813. Times vary across the area.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 8 mph / 13 mph
- Coldest
- 3.8°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 9 mph / 16 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 & scramblingBetaWet rock is likely. 55Mixed · Mixed View detailsHide details
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.
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 Lewis and Harris on Friday 16 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 15 October 2026 at 15:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lewis and Harris.

