Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains mountain weather forecast.

Sat 21 Nov on the hillsA poor day on the tops in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains, with burns likely to be in spate and strong, gusty winds. See wind, cloud base and timings

Mountain Weather brief

Mid Wales and Cambrian Mountains

Saturday 21 November 2026 · Cadair Idris, Pumlumon and the central Welsh hills

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

A comparable model-confidence estimate is not available for this forecast.

What matters most

A poor day on the tops in Mid Wales and the Cambrian Mountains, with burns likely to be in spate and strong, gusty winds.

High-ground wind · 700 m30-40 mph southerly Gusts · 700 m40-50 mph Cloud base500-1500 m Feels like · 700 m-8 to -4°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Extensive cloud. Cloud is likely to remain extensive for much of the day.

Modelled sunshine0 h1% of daylight
Early0 h sunshine
Midday0 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 · 08:00–12:00PoorSummit winds around 20-40 mph. Gusts around 45-55 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views early on.
24
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 25-40 mph. Gusts around 45-55 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later. Rain is forecast in parts of the area during the afternoon, but its extent and local amounts are uncertain.
7

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 southerly wind of 30–40 mph, gusting 40–50 mph. Gusts like that are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 40–50 mph are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

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

A band of rain moves in around midday. Expect 10–20 mm in total. Rain is forecast in parts of the area during the afternoon, but its extent and local amounts are uncertain. Drizzle is possible on some hills.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 25% early, about 15% around midday and about 25% later.

06

Cloud and visibility

Expect many summits to be in cloud for most of the day. The cloud base lifts through the day. In cloud you'll be finding your way without landmarks, so carry navigation you trust and know how to use, with a backup such as a spare battery or a map and compass.

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. It turns milder through the day. 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 07:46, Sunset 16:13, about 8.5 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaNot a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area: gusts of about 55 mph and about 8 mm of rain. 9Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Saturday 21 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Not a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area. Gusts reach about 55 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 8 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 4°C at 900 m.

Overnight rain7.6 mmOpen ground · 600 m27 mph · gusts 48 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
91%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
05:02 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: 21 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 22 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 m34 · poor
Wind / gust
23 mph / 40 mph
Coldest
5.5°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m9 · very poor
Wind / gust
27 mph / 48 mph
Coldest
5.5°C
In cloud
33% of modelled night
Condensation
High
900 m9 · very poor
Wind / gust
32 mph / 55 mph
Coldest
3.9°C
In cloud
60% 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 50 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). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 50 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 gust52 mphRain15.9 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 November 2026 at 16:26 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.