Yorkshire Dales mountain weather forecast.

The Three Peaks and surrounding fells. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Yorkshire Dales

Thursday 15 October 2026 · The Three Peaks and surrounding fells

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing. Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

What matters most

A poor day on the tops in the Yorkshire Dales, with strong, gusty winds and rain for much of the day.

High-ground wind · 600 m25-35 mph southwesterly Gusts · 600 m40-50 mph Cloud base400-800 m Feels like · 600 m0 to 4°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 · 08:00–12:00PoorSummit winds around 20-40 mph. Gusts around 45-55 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views early on. Rain is possible during the morning, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.
20
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00Severe hill conditionsMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 10-40 mph. Gusts around 50-60 mph are possible on exposed ground. Gusts this strong can make walking very difficult and tiring, with a risk of being blown off your feet. Avoid exposed ridges and edges. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later. Rain is forecast during the afternoon, but models differ considerably on the amount.
-6

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 south-westerly wind of 25–35 mph, gusting 40–50 mph. Gusts like that are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 40–50 mph are strong enough to knock you off balance, so take care near edges and on narrow ridges.

03

Spate risk

There could be a spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may rise quickly. Timing and severity can vary between catchments. Check the peak forecast for the separate rain/runoff periods. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

04

Rain and showers

Rain for much of the day, becoming heavier through the afternoon. Expect 10–20 mm in total. Rain is possible during the morning, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Rain is forecast during the afternoon, but models differ considerably on the amount. Drizzle is possible on some hills. On some hills, cloud may make navigation difficult, with very poor visibility in wetter spells.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 30% early, about 15% around midday and about 30% later.

06

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 early 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.

07

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.

08

Freezing level

The freezing level is above the summits.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:36, Sunset 18:12, about 10.6 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a good night for a wild camp: gusts of about 25 mph. 78Good · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Thursday 15 October 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a good night for a wild camp. Light winds on open ground, gusting no more than about 25 mph. A little rain is forecast overnight. Overnight lows of about 5°C at 300 m.

Overnight rain0.6 mmOpen ground · 600 m15 mph · gusts 24 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing crescent moon

Illuminated disc
26%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
19:38 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: 54.595, -2.341. Times vary across the area.

300 m81 · promising
Wind / gust
13 mph / 20 mph
Coldest
5.4°C
In cloud
0% of modelled night
Condensation
Moderate
600 m78 · reasonable
Wind / gust
15 mph / 24 mph
Coldest
5.4°C
In cloud
15% 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 50 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 50 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes slate or mudstone, sandstone or gritstone and limestone. Rock can therefore respond differently to moisture between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust48 mphRain13.7 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits3 broad familiesSummit samples, not a survey of every crag
slate or mudstone 62% 5 representative summitsOften positive when dry, but smooth, polished or slabby sections can become markedly more slippery when damp.sandstone or gritstone 25% 2 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.limestone 12% 1 representative summitUsually positive where it is rough and dry, but polished limestone can become very slippery when wet and seepage may linger.

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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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 Yorkshire Dales on Thursday 15 October 2026. It asks about intentions, not whether you actually went out. No name or account is needed.

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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 Yorkshire Dales.

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.