Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains mountain weather forecast.

Mon 16 Nov on the hillsA good day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains: dry, with light winds. See wind, cloud base and timings

Mountain Weather brief

Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains

Monday 16 November 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing.

What matters most

A good day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains: dry, with light winds.

High-ground wind · 700 m10-20 mph northwesterly Gusts · 700 m10-20 mph Cloud base1000-1600 m Feels like · 700 m-10 to -6°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Cloud becoming more extensive. Cloud cover is likely to increase as sunshine becomes less frequent.

Modelled sunshine4.4 h49% of daylight
Early1 h sunshine
Midday2.4 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 · 08:00–12:00ExcellentSummit winds around 5-15 mph. Gusts around 15-25 mph are possible on exposed ground. Some early summit cloud is possible.
88
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00GoodSummit winds around 0-20 mph. Gusts around 15-25 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud is more likely to break later. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.
75

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 10–20 mph.

02

Walking impact

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

03

Rain and showers

Dry through the daylight hours, but snow arrives after dark. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.

04

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 65% early, about 70% around midday and about 80% later.

05

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay mostly clear of cloud. Some forecast models are much cloudier overhead. That may limit sunshine without putting the summits in cloud. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views as long as the tops stay clear.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 700 m it will be -2 to 2°C, feeling like -10 to -6°C in the wind. Take a hat, gloves, a windproof and a spare warm layer.

07

Freezing level

The freezing level is around 600–700 m, so it will be below freezing on the tops.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:37, Sunset 16:20, about 8.7 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaNot a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area: gusts of about 70 mph and heavy rain, around 35 mm. 9Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Monday 16 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Not a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area. Gusts reach about 70 mph around 900 m and nearer 40 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 36 mm of rain is forecast overnight. At every height we checked (300-900 m) you'd likely be in cloud for part of the night: damp, and hard to find your way if you need to move. A frost above about 600 m, down to about -3°C.

Overnight rain36.1 mmOpen ground · 600 m26 mph · gusts 51 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

First-quarter moon

Illuminated disc
46%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
22:26 GMT

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

Overnight window: 16 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 17 Nov, 08:00 GMT. 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 m19 · very poor
Wind / gust
21 mph / 42 mph
Coldest
0.6°C
In cloud
60% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m9 · very poor
Wind / gust
26 mph / 51 mph
Coldest
-1.0°C
In cloud
67% of modelled night
Condensation
High
900 m0 · very poor
Wind / gust
34 mph / 68 mph
Coldest
-3.3°C
In cloud
73% 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 & scramblingBetaSnow is likely to be lying on some high ground, with further snowfall possible. Wet rock is likely. 0Poor · Very 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 very poor (0/100). 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.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust29 mphRain2.2 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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This is about Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains on Monday 16 November 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.

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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.

Updated 14 November 2026 at 16:37 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.