Northumberland and Cheviots mountain weather forecast.

The Cheviots and Northumberland's higher hills. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Northumberland and Cheviots

Tuesday 20 October 2026 · The Cheviots and Northumberland's higher hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A mixed day in Northumberland and the Cheviots, with cloud coming and going on the summits.

High-ground wind · 600 m10-20 mph southerly Gusts · 600 m15-25 mph Cloud base500-800 m Feels like · 600 m2 to 6°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Sunshine and cloud. A mixture of sunshine and cloud is indicated.

Modelled sunshine4.7 h47% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
Midday2 h sunshine
Later1 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 10-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Cloud may restrict summit views early on.
66
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedSummit winds around 10-20 mph. Gusts around 15-25 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 (600 m)

At around 600 m, expect a southerly wind of 10–20 mph, gusting 15–25 mph.

02

Walking impact

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

03

Rain and showers

It should stay dry.

04

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 40% early, about 30% around midday and about 30% 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 500–800 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. Mist or fog is possible in some valleys early on.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 600 m it will be 6 to 10°C, feeling like 2 to 6°C in the wind. A windproof and an extra layer for stops will help.

07

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:48, Sunset 17:57, 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 20 mph. 54Mixed · 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. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 20 mph. A little rain is forecast overnight. Up around 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. 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 600 m.

Overnight rain0.6 mmOpen ground · 600 m14 mph · gusts 22 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
72%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
01:29 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: 55.478, -2.145. Times vary across the area.

300 m64 · mixed
Wind / gust
11 mph / 18 mph
Coldest
6.7°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m54 · mixed
Wind / gust
14 mph / 22 mph
Coldest
6.3°C
In cloud
93% 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 & scramblingBetaPatchy rain could leave exposed holds damp or slippery. 76Good · Good 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 good (76/100). Likely to stay mostly dry, but patchy rain remains possible. Exposed rock could become damp or slippery. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes granite, gneiss or gabbro and volcanic rock. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceDry initially; rain possibleExposed gust22 mphRainPossible · 25%
Mapped rock across sampled summits2 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
granite, gneiss or gabbro 60% 3 representative summitsGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery.volcanic rock 40% 2 representative summitsOften grippy when dry, but volcanic rocks vary widely; wet lichen, smooth holds and local seepage can still make them slippery.

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 Northumberland and Cheviots 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 15 October 2026 at 15:29 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Northumberland and Cheviots.

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.