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

Friday 16 October 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A good day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains: light winds and clear tops for most of the day.

High-ground wind · 700 m10-20 mph northwesterly Gusts · 700 m20-30 mph Cloud base1000-1400 m Feels like · 700 m-2 to 2°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Sunshine varies by period. Sunshine amounts vary between the morning, midday and later periods.

Modelled sunshine4.6 h42% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
Midday2.5 h sunshine
LaterLess than 1 hour 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. Summit cloud becomes more persistent later. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
73
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00GoodSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
76

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 north-westerly wind of 10–20 mph, gusting 20–30 mph.

02

Walking impact

Noticeable on exposed ground, but unlikely to impede most walking.

03

Thunderstorms

There is a small chance of a thunderstorm from the morning into the evening. If you hear thunder, head down off the tops and away from ridges. If a thunderstorm develops, sudden gusts and heavy rain can change conditions quickly.

04

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be saturated after recent rain. Expect boggy paths and rapid runoff if more rain arrives.

05

Rain and showers

Rain arrives mid-morning.

06

Cloud-free summits

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

07

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.

08

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.

09

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

10

Daylight

Sunrise 07:41, Sunset 18:18, about 10.6 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind: gusts of about 30 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Friday 16 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 30 mph around 900 m and nearer 20 mph around 300 m, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the north. A little rain is forecast overnight. A cold night, down to about 3°C around 900 m. The ground will be sodden after recent rain, so pick a firm, well-drained pitch.

Overnight rain0.5 mmOpen ground · 600 m17 mph · gusts 27 mphMorning pack-upNo wet signal

Moon overnight

Waxing crescent moon

Illuminated disc
34%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
20:54 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: 52.787, -3.688. Times vary across the area.

300 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
14 mph / 22 mph
Coldest
4.5°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low
600 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
17 mph / 27 mph
Coldest
4.5°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low
900 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
20 mph / 32 mph
Coldest
2.8°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low

The ground is likely to be very wet after recent rain. Expect boggy approaches and choose a durable pitch carefully.

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. A small chance of a thunderstorm in parts of the area. Avoid exposed scrambling if storms develop. 48Poor · 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 (48/100). 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 volcanic rock, granite, gneiss or gabbro and sandstone or gritstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes. A small chance of a thunderstorm in parts of the area. Storm timing is uncertain, so avoid committing to exposed rock if storms may develop.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust26 mphRain0.6 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 15 October 2026 at 15:29 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.