North Pennines mountain weather forecast.

Cross Fell and the North Pennine moors. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

North Pennines

Tuesday 20 October 2026 · Cross Fell and the North Pennine moors

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A mixed day in the North Pennines, with cloud coming and going on the summits.

High-ground wind · 700 m5-15 mph southeasterly Gusts · 700 m10-20 mph Cloud base500-800 m Feels like · 700 m2 to 6°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

More sunshine later. Sunshine is indicated more often later in the day.

Modelled sunshine6.6 h66% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
Midday3.1 h sunshine
Later1.8 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 0-15 mph. Gusts around 10-20 mph are possible on exposed ground. Cloud may restrict summit views early on.
66
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedSummit winds around 5-15 mph. Gusts around 10-20 mph are possible on exposed ground. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later.
66

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 south-easterly wind of 5–15 mph, gusting 10–20 mph.

02

Walking impact

Little effect on walking, although exposed tops may still feel chilly.

03

Rain and showers

It should stay dry.

04

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 40% early, about 30% around midday and about 35% later.

05

Cloud and visibility

Expect many summits to be in cloud for most of the day. The cloud base could be as low as 600–700 m in the late afternoon. 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.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 700 m it will be 6 to 10°C, feeling like 2 to 6°C in the wind. It turns milder through the day. Take a warm layer and a hat for the top.

07

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:47, Sunset 18:00, about 10.2 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of damp air: gusts of about 30 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Tuesday 20 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of damp air. Gusts reach about 30 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the southeast. A little rain is forecast overnight. The air is damp at every height we checked (300-600 m), so expect heavy condensation. Leave the vents open. Overnight lows of about 6°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain0.8 mmOpen ground · 600 m14 mph · gusts 28 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
72%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
01:33 next morning BST

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

Overnight window: 20 Oct, 17:00 BST to 21 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.

Representative location: 54.703, -2.487. Times vary across the area.

300 m64 · mixed
Wind / gust
12 mph / 23 mph
Coldest
5.7°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
14 mph / 28 mph
Coldest
5.7°C
In cloud
0% 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 & scramblingBetaCloud may complicate route-finding and retreat. 65Mixed · Fair 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 fair (65/100). Rock is likely to be mostly dry, though local seepage and shaded holds remain unresolved. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes sandstone or gritstone, slate or mudstone and limestone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceProbably dryExposed gust16 mphRain0.0 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits4 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
sandstone or gritstone 38% 3 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.slate or mudstone 38% 3 representative summitsOften positive when dry, but smooth, polished or slabby sections can become markedly more slippery when damp.limestone 12% 1 representative summitUsually positive where it is rough and dry, but polished limestone can become very slippery when wet and seepage may linger.unclassified rock 12% 1 representative summitGrip and drying behaviour are not well resolved here; treat damp rock conservatively and check the surface directly.

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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Help the Mountain Decisions Project understand how forecasts influence hill days, including when plans stay the same. Findings will be shared publicly as summaries, not individual responses.

This is about North Pennines on Tuesday 20 October 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 October 2026 at 15:27 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for North Pennines.

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.