Northumberland and Cheviots mountain weather forecast.

Sun 15 Nov on the hillsA poor day on the tops in Northumberland and the Cheviots, with sleet or snow on the tops and cloud coming and going on the summits. See wind, cloud base and timings

Mountain Weather brief

Northumberland and Cheviots

Sunday 15 November 2026 · The Cheviots and Northumberland's higher hills

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A poor day on the tops in Northumberland and the Cheviots, with sleet or snow on the tops and cloud coming and going on the summits.

High-ground wind · 600 m10-20 mph northwesterly Gusts · 600 m15-25 mph Cloud base700-1000 m Feels like · 600 m-4 to 0°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

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

Modelled sunshine0 h0% 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 · 08:00–12:00MixedSummit winds around 5-15 mph. Gusts around 10-20 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views early on. Rain is forecast during the morning, but models differ considerably on the amount.
65
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorSummit winds around 5-20 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Summit cloud becomes more persistent later. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
30

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 north-westerly 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

Sleet is possible on the tops, and it could turn to snow if it is a little colder. Rain for much of the day. Expect 10–20 mm in total, measured as melted water, so any snow would lie deeper. Rain is forecast during the morning, but models differ considerably on the amount. Drizzle is possible on some hills. On some hills, sleet is possible on the tops. Small temperature changes could shift the mix towards rain or snow. On some hills, cloud may make navigation difficult, with very poor visibility in wetter spells. Sleet or snow is possible on some higher tops in the afternoon, with small temperature changes affecting the mix. The air freezing level is roughly 900 to 1000 m above sea level. Snow can fall below this, but its lower limit is uncertain.

04

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 30% early, about 20% around midday and about 10% later.

05

Cloud and visibility

The tops are likely to drift in and out of cloud, with the best chance of clear tops early on. The cloud base lowers through the day. The cloud base could be as low as 300–600 m by 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 600 m it will be 2 to 6°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 07:41, Sunset 16:03, about 8.4 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a poor night to camp on open ground: about 5 mm of rain and a frost, down to -3°C. 39Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Sunday 15 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a poor night to camp on open ground. Gusts reach about 30 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the north. About 5 mm of 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. A frost at every height we checked (300-600 m), down to about -3°C.

Overnight rain4.7 mmOpen ground · 600 m19 mph · gusts 32 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing crescent moon

Illuminated disc
36%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
20:50 GMT

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

Overnight window: 15 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 16 Nov, 08:00 GMT. 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 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
15 mph / 26 mph
Coldest
-2.1°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
19 mph / 32 mph
Coldest
-3.4°C
In cloud
33% 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 35 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 35 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 gust33 mphRain16.7 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 14 November 2026 at 16:37 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.