Peak District mountain weather forecast.

The Dark Peak and higher moors. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Peak District

Wednesday 21 October 2026 · The Dark Peak and higher moors

Confidence: Unavailable Why?

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

What matters most

A good day in the Peak District, though expect a blustery wind and drizzle arriving in the early afternoon.

High-ground wind · 500 m25-35 mph southerly Gusts · 500 m35-45 mph Cloud base500-800 m Feels like · 500 m-6 to -2°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

Limited sunny breaks. Any sunshine is likely to come through limited breaks.

Modelled sunshine1.4 h14% of daylight
EarlyLess than 1 hour sunshine
MiddayLess than 1 hour 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 · 08:00–12:00ExcellentSummit winds around 10-25 mph. Gusts around 25-35 mph are possible on exposed ground.
86
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00MixedWinds strengthen compared with the morning. More rain is expected. Summit winds around 15-35 mph. Gusts around 35-45 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period.
60

Conservative regional grades across representative summits, so one sheltered hill does not overstate the wider area.

01

High-ground wind (500 m)

At around 500 m, expect a southerly wind of 25–35 mph, gusting 35–45 mph, picking up through the day. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 35–45 mph are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

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 90% later.

05

Cloud and visibility

The tops should stay clear of cloud all day.

06

Temperature and wind chill

At around 500 m it will be 4 to 8°C, feeling like -6 to -2°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 above the summits.

08

Daylight

Sunrise 07:44, Sunset 17:58, about 10.2 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaNot a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area: around 9 mm of rain. 39Poor · 300 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Wednesday 21 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Not a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area. Gusts reach about 35 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 9 mm of rain is forecast overnight. Overnight lows of about 7°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain9.2 mmOpen ground · 300 m18 mph · gusts 33 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
80%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
02:53 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: 53.385, -1.874. Times vary across the area.

300 m39 · poor
Wind / gust
18 mph / 33 mph
Coldest
7.0°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 40 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 17Poor · 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 (17/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet. Polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 40 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes sandstone or gritstone and slate or mudstone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust39 mphRain3.2 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits2 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
sandstone or gritstone 62% 5 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.

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.

Does the weather shape your plans?Optional hill-user research. One answer helps; further questions are up to you.Take part

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 Peak District on Wednesday 21 October 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.

Open the questions to take part.

About the research and your privacy · Already been out? Share that experience instead

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 Peak District.

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.