Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains mountain weather forecast.

Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains

Thursday 8 October 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A mixed day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains, with burns likely to be in spate.

High-ground wind · 700 m15-25 mph westerly Gusts · 700 m20-30 mph Cloud base1300-1700 m Feels like · 700 m-2 to 2°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Sunshine through the day. The time blocks show where the model places the brighter spells.

Modelled sunshine4.8 h43% of daylight
Early1 h sunshine
Midday2.5 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.
80/100
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 15-25 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
42/100

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

01

High-ground wind (700 m)

At around 700 m, expect a westerly wind of 15–25 mph, gusting 20–30 mph. A wind like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

02

Walking impact

A steady wind of 15–25 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

03

Spate risk

High spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may become difficult or impassable. Timing and severity can vary between catchments. Check the peak forecast for the separate rain/runoff periods. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

04

Rain and showers

Drizzle sets in mid-afternoon and becomes heavier later.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 90% around midday and about 85% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay clear of cloud all day. The air should be clear too, so expect far-reaching views from the tops.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 700 m it will be 4 to 8°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.

08

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:27, Sunset 18:36, about 11.2 hours daylight.

10

Differences across the area

More sunshine is likely around the southern hills than the northern hills. This is a broad-area estimate, not sunshine on every summit.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch above about 600 m on some hills (gusts of about 55 mph and heavy rain, around 40 mm). Lower down, a poor night to camp on open ground. 9/100Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 8 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 55 mph around 900 m and nearer 40 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 41 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Above about 600 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 rain41.0 mmOpen ground · 600 m28 mph · gusts 46 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waning crescent moon

Illuminated disc
3%
Moonrise
06:02 next morning BST
Moonset
17:38 BST

Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.

Overnight window: 8 Oct, 17:00 BST to 9 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 52.787, -3.688. Times vary across the area.

300 m39/100 · poor
Wind / gust
23 mph / 38 mph
Coldest
6.4°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m9/100 · very poor
Wind / gust
28 mph / 46 mph
Coldest
6.4°C
In cloud
87% of modelled night
Condensation
High
900 m9/100 · very poor
Wind / gust
32 mph / 54 mph
Coldest
4.6°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 30 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 23/100Poor · Poor 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 poor (23/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 30 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes volcanic rock, granite, gneiss or gabbro and sandstone or gritstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust30 mphRain1.7 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits3 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.granite, gneiss or gabbro 25% 2 representative summitsGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain 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.

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 8 October 2026 at 05:28 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains.

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.