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

Wednesday 21 October 2026 · The Cheviots and Northumberland's higher hills

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

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

What matters most

A good day in Northumberland and the Cheviots, though expect drizzle arriving in the early afternoon.

High-ground wind · 600 m15-25 mph southerly Gusts · 600 m25-35 mph Cloud base500-800 m Feels like · 600 m-4 to 0°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

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

Modelled sunshine9 h90% of daylight
Early1.7 h sunshine
Midday4 h sunshine
Later1.2 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 10-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground.
89
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 15-25 mph. Gusts around 25-35 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud becomes more persistent later. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
63

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 15–25 mph, gusting 25–35 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 25–35 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

03

Rain and showers

Drizzle sets in during the early afternoon. Expect 2–5 mm in total. Visibility may drop briefly in showers in parts of the area.

04

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 90% early, about 90% around midday and about 65% later.

05

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay mostly clear of cloud. The cloud base could be as low as 600–600 m in the late afternoon.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 600 m it will be 4 to 8°C, feeling like -4 to 0°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.

07

Freezing level

The freezing level is close to summit height.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:50, Sunset 17:55, about 10.1 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the rain: about 3 mm of rain. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Wednesday 21 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the rain. Gusts reach about 30 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the south. About 3 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Overnight lows of about 7°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain3.4 mmOpen ground · 600 m13 mph · gusts 28 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
80%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
02:50 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: 21 Oct, 17:00 BST to 22 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 / 23 mph
Coldest
7.2°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m59 · mixed
Wind / gust
13 mph / 28 mph
Coldest
7.2°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 & scramblingBetaWet rock is likely. Gusts near 30 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 45Poor · Mixed 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 mixed (45/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 30 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. 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 surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust30 mphRain3.0 mm
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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Weather data: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Mountain Weather.

Updated 15 October 2026 at 05:28 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.