Yorkshire Dales mountain weather forecast.

Tue 17 Nov on the hillsA poor day on the tops in the Yorkshire Dales, with sleet or snow on the tops and burns likely to be in spate. See wind, cloud base and timings

Mountain Weather brief

Yorkshire Dales

Tuesday 17 November 2026 · The Three Peaks and surrounding fells

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing.

What matters most

A poor day on the tops in the Yorkshire Dales, with sleet or snow on the tops and burns likely to be in spate.

High-ground wind · 600 m20-30 mph southeasterly Gusts · 600 m30-40 mph Cloud base100-400 m Feels like · 600 m-10 to -6°C
Regional median

Sunshine and sky

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

Modelled sunshineLess than 1 hour4% 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 · 08:00–12:00Severe hill conditionsSummit winds around 10-30 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. Cloud may restrict summit views early on. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning, while others keep it mostly dry. Rain is possible during the morning, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.
-8
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorWinds ease compared with the morning. Summit winds around 5-25 mph. Gusts around 20-30 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later. Some forecast models bring rain during the afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry. Rain is possible during the afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall.
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 south-easterly wind of 20–30 mph, gusting 30–40 mph, strongest first thing and easing later. Gusts like that are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

02

Walking impact

Gusts of 30–40 mph are strong enough to make walking into it hard work, with buffeting on ridges and edges.

03

Spate risk

High spate risk based on 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.

04

Rain and showers

Snow for much of the day. Expect 5–10 mm in total, measured as melted water, so any snow would lie deeper. Some forecast models bring rain during the morning and afternoon, while others keep it mostly dry. Rain is possible during the morning and afternoon, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. On some hills, sleet or snow is possible on the tops, with the balance depending on temperature. On some hills, cloud may make navigation difficult, with very poor visibility in wetter spells. Snow is forecast on some higher tops during the morning and afternoon. The air freezing level is roughly 500 to 700 m above sea level. Snow can fall below this, but its lower limit is uncertain. On some higher summits there is a risk of blizzard conditions in the morning, when snow and strong winds coincide. Paths and footprints can quickly disappear beneath falling and blowing snow. Snow may collect in deeper drifts in hollows, behind boulders and on slopes sheltered from the wind. Exposed ground may be scoured while nearby drifts deepen. Wind-loaded slopes can also be avalanche terrain. Check the local avalanche forecast where one is available; this is not an assessment of slope stability.

05

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 10% early, about 10% around midday and about 10% 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 200–500 m around midday. 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. Mist or fog is possible in some valleys early on. Where snow covers the ground, the sky and hillside can merge into a featureless white view, making it difficult to judge slope or direction. Do not rely on following a visible path. Avoid exposed routes if you cannot navigate safely in these conditions, and turn back before visibility deteriorates.

07

Temperature and wind chill

At around 600 m it will be -2 to 2°C, feeling like -10 to -6°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.

08

Freezing level

The freezing level is around 500–800 m, so it will be below freezing on the tops.

09

Daylight

Sunrise 07:41, Sunset 16:06, about 8.4 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaAcross these hills, a poor night to camp on open ground: around 11 mm of rain. 36Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Tuesday 17 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across these hills, a poor night to camp on open ground. Gusts reach about 25 mph on open ground, so peg out well and use the guylines. Look for shelter from the southeast. About 11 mm of rain is forecast overnight. At every height we checked (300-600 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 cold night, down to about 0°C around 600 m.

Overnight rain11.0 mmOpen ground · 600 m14 mph · gusts 26 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
55%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
23:31 GMT

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

Overnight window: 17 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 18 Nov, 08:00 GMT. 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 m40 · poor
Wind / gust
11 mph / 20 mph
Coldest
2.3°C
In cloud
100% of modelled night
Condensation
High
600 m36 · poor
Wind / gust
14 mph / 26 mph
Coldest
0.4°C
In cloud
100% 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 & scramblingBetaSnow is likely to be lying on some high ground, with further snowfall possible. Wet rock is likely. Gusts near 40 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 40 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 gust38 mphRain8.1 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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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 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.