Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains mountain weather forecast.

Thu 19 Nov on the hillsA mixed day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains, with sleet or snow on the tops and a blustery wind. See wind, cloud base and timings

Mountain Weather brief

Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains

Thursday 19 November 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Low Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing. Uncertainty over high-ground wind strength. Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A mixed day in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains, with sleet or snow on the tops and a blustery wind.

High-ground wind · 700 m20-30 mph northeasterly Gusts · 700 m30-40 mph Cloud base1400-1700 m Feels like · 700 m-8 to -4°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

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

Modelled sunshine4.2 h47% of daylight
Early0 h sunshine
Midday3.2 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 · 08:00–12:00MixedSummit winds around 20-35 mph. Gusts around 40-50 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges. Some early summit cloud is possible.
61
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00GoodWinds ease compared with the morning. Summit winds around 10-25 mph. Gusts around 25-35 mph are possible on exposed ground. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry.
70

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-easterly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 30–40 mph, strongest first thing and easing later. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 30–40 mph are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

03

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.

04

Rain and showers

Mostly dry. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry. On some hills, sleet is possible on the tops. Small temperature changes could shift the mix towards rain or snow. Sleet or snow is possible on some higher tops in the morning, with small temperature changes affecting the mix. The air freezing level is roughly 800 to 700 m above sea level. Snow can fall below this, but its lower limit is uncertain.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 60% early, about 55% around midday and about 60% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

The tops are likely to drift in and out of cloud, with the best chance of clear tops later in the day. The air should be clear, so expect far-reaching views whenever the tops come out of the cloud.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 700 m it will be 0 to 4°C, feeling like -8 to -4°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 close to summit height.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:42, Sunset 16:16, about 8.6 hours daylight.

10

Differences across the area

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

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the cold: a frost, down to -3°C. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 19 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the cold. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 20 mph. It should stay dry. A frost up around 900 m, down to about -3°C.

Overnight rain0.0 mmOpen ground · 600 m8 mph · gusts 18 mphMorning pack-upNo wet signal

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
75%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
02:14 next morning GMT

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

Overnight window: 19 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 20 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 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
6 mph / 14 mph
Coldest
2.5°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low
600 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
8 mph / 18 mph
Coldest
1.8°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Low
900 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
13 mph / 22 mph
Coldest
-2.8°C
In cloud
20% 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 & scramblingBetaSnow is likely to be lying on some high ground. Scrambling may require winter mountaineering skills and equipment. Rock may be damp or still drying. Gusts near 40 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 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). Some rock may remain damp or incompletely dried, especially in shade and seepage lines. Gusts may reach about 40 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 surfaceDry overhead; seepage uncertainExposed gust39 mphRainPossible · 38%
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 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.