Lewis and Harris
A poor day on the tops in Lewis and Harris, with very strong, gusty winds.
Sunshine and sky
Cloud becoming more extensive. Cloud cover is likely to increase as sunshine becomes less frequent.
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 southerly wind of 30–40 mph, gusting 45–55 mph, strongest first thing and easing later. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges.
Walking impact
Gusts of 45–55 mph are strong enough to make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges.
Rain and showers
Drizzle at first, clearing by early afternoon.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 65% early, about 60% around midday and about 90% later.
Cloud and visibility
The tops should stay mostly clear of cloud. Good spells of sunshine are likely. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views as long as the tops stay clear.
Temperature and wind chill
At around 700 m it will be 4 to 8°C, feeling like -4 to 0°C in the wind. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.
Freezing level
The freezing level is above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 08:14, Sunset 18:07, about 9.9 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a reasonable night to camp, with a well-chosen pitch: about 4 mm of rain. 70Good · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Across these hills, a reasonable night to camp, with a well-chosen pitch. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 20 mph. About 4 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Overnight lows of about 6°C at 600 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 80%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 03:05 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: 21 Oct, 17:00 BST to 22 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
- 9 mph / 16 mph
- Coldest
- 6.7°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Low
- Wind / gust
- 11 mph / 19 mph
- Coldest
- 6.5°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. Gusts near 55 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 0Poor · Very poor 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 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 55 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.
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 05:28 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lewis and Harris.