Lewis and Harris
A mixed day in Lewis and Harris, with a blustery wind and drizzle arriving in the early afternoon.
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 south-westerly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 30–40 mph. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.
Walking impact
Gusts of 30–40 mph are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.
Rain and showers
Drizzle sets in during the early afternoon. Expect 2–5 mm in total. Visibility may drop briefly in showers in parts of the area.
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 -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.
Freezing level
The freezing level is above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 08:17, Sunset 18:05, about 9.8 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaNot a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area: gusts of about 65 mph and around 11 mm of rain. 0Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Not a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area. Gusts reach about 65 mph around 600 m and nearer 50 mph around 300 m, strong enough to flatten or tear a tent. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 11 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Overnight lows of about 5°C at 300 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing gibbous moon
- Illuminated disc
- 88%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 04:32 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: 57.964, -6.813. Times vary across the area.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 25 mph / 52 mph
- Coldest
- 5.3°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 31 mph / 63 mph
- Coldest
- 5.3°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. Gusts near 35 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 39Poor · 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 poor (39/100). 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 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 16 October 2026 at 05:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Lewis and Harris.