Southern Scotland
A poor day on the tops in Southern Scotland, with very strong, gusty winds and many summits in cloud for most of the day.
Sunshine and sky
Extensive cloud. Cloud is likely to remain extensive for much of the day.
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.
High-ground wind (600 m)
At around 600 m, expect a south-westerly wind of 35–45 mph, gusting 50–60 mph, picking up through the day. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges.
Walking impact
Gusts of 50–60 mph are strong enough to make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges.
Ground conditions
The ground is likely to be saturated after recent rain. Expect boggy paths and rapid runoff if more rain arrives.
Rain and showers
Dry through the daylight hours, but rain arrives after dark. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 15% early, about 15% around midday and about 10% later.
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.
Temperature and wind chill
At around 600 m it will be 6 to 10°C, feeling like 0 to 4°C in the wind. A windproof and an extra layer for stops will help.
Freezing level
The freezing level is above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 07:42, Sunset 18:19, about 10.6 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaNot a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area: gusts of about 55 mph and around 19 mm of rain. 9Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Not a night to camp on the open hill anywhere in this area. Gusts reach about 55 mph around 600 m and nearer 45 mph around 300 m, strong enough to flatten or tear a tent. Check the forecast for the hill and height you have in mind, and don't assume lower ground will be sheltered. About 19 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. Overnight lows of about 10°C at 600 m. The ground will be sodden after recent rain, so pick a firm, well-drained pitch.
Moon overnight
Waxing crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 18%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 19:02 BST
Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 14 Oct, 17:00 BST to 15 Oct, 08:00 BST. Approximate open-horizon times; hills can hide the Moon. Still take a headtorch.
Representative location: 55.139, -4.468. Times vary across the area.
Elevation reference (open ground)
- Wind / gust
- 30 mph / 46 mph
- Coldest
- 10.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
- Wind / gust
- 36 mph / 56 mph
- Coldest
- 10.5°C
- In cloud
- 100% of modelled night
- Condensation
- High
The ground is likely to be very wet after recent rain. Expect boggy approaches and choose a durable pitch carefully.
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 & scramblingBetaRock may be damp or still drying. Gusts near 60 mph may affect balance on exposed rock. 0Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
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). Some rock may remain damp or incompletely dried, especially in shade and seepage lines. Gusts may reach about 60 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes sandstone or gritstone and granite, gneiss or gabbro. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.
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 October 2026 at 15:27 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Southern Scotland.