Southern Scotland
A poor day on the tops in Southern Scotland, with burns likely to be in spate and rain clearing by early afternoon.
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 westerly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 25–35 mph. Gusts like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.
Walking impact
Gusts of 25–35 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.
Ground conditions
The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.
Spate risk
High spate risk based on recent and forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may become difficult or impassable. Timing and severity can vary between catchments. Check the peak forecast for the separate rain/runoff periods. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.
Rain and showers
Heavy rain at first, clearing by early afternoon. Expect 10–20 mm in total. Rain is forecast during the morning, but models differ considerably on the amount. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry. Drizzle is possible on some hills. On some hills, cloud may make navigation difficult, with very poor visibility in wetter spells.
Cloud-free summits
Clear-summit estimate: about 10% early, about 40% around midday and about 85% later.
Cloud and visibility
Cloud on the tops early should lift off them by early afternoon. The cloud base could be as low as 500–800 m early in the morning.
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. Pack waterproofs too, and keep a warm layer dry in your pack.
Freezing level
The freezing level is above the summits.
Daylight
Sunrise 07:44, Sunset 18:17, about 10.5 hours daylight.
Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind: gusts of about 30 mph. 59Mixed · 600 m View detailsHide details
Full regional overnight outlook
Across these hills, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 30 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the west. 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. Overnight lows of about 4°C at 300 m.
Moon overnight
Waxing crescent moon
- Illuminated disc
- 26%
- Moonrise
- Outside this window
- Moonset
- 19:41 BST
Cloud and terrain vary across the area. Illumination describes the sunlit part of the Moon, not brightness at your pitch.
Overnight window: 15 Oct, 17:00 BST to 16 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
- 16 mph / 24 mph
- Coldest
- 3.9°C
- In cloud
- 0% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
- Wind / gust
- 18 mph / 28 mph
- Coldest
- 3.9°C
- In cloud
- 30% of modelled night
- Condensation
- Moderate
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 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 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.