Yorkshire Dales mountain weather forecast.

Wed 18 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

Wednesday 18 November 2026 · The Three Peaks and surrounding fells

Confidence: Medium Why?

Uncertainty over rain amounts and timing. Uncertainty over high-ground wind strength. Uncertainty over sky cloud cover and sunshine.

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 m15-25 mph easterly Gusts · 600 m20-30 mph Cloud base200-600 m Feels like · 600 m-8 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 15-25 mph. Gusts around 25-35 mph are possible on exposed ground. 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.
30
Afternoon · 12:00–17:00PoorMore rain is expected. Summit winds around 10-25 mph. Gusts around 25-35 mph are possible on exposed ground. Rain is forecast on some hills during this period. Cloud may restrict summit views around midday and later. Rain is forecast in parts of the area during the afternoon, but its extent and local amounts are uncertain.
29

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 an easterly wind of 15–25 mph, gusting 20–30 mph. A wind like that will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

02

Walking impact

A steady wind of 15–25 mph will be noticeable on ridges and open tops, and you will chill quickly when you stop.

03

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be saturated after recent rain. Expect boggy paths and rapid runoff if more rain arrives.

04

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.

05

Rain and showers

Sleet for much of the day, becoming heavier through the afternoon. Expect 10–20 mm in total, measured as melted water, so any snow would lie deeper. Rain is possible during the morning, but forecast models disagree on whether it will fall. Rain is forecast in parts of the area during the afternoon, but its extent and local amounts are uncertain. On some hills, sleet or snow is possible on the tops, with the balance depending on temperature. Visibility may drop briefly in showers in parts of the area. Sleet or snow is possible on some higher tops during the morning and afternoon, with small temperature changes affecting the mix. The air freezing level is roughly 700 to 600 m above sea level. Snow can fall below this, but its lower limit is uncertain. Blowing snow may quickly cover paths and footprints and make navigation difficult. 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.

06

Cloud-free summits

Clear-summit estimate: about 10% early, about 10% around midday and about 10% later.

07

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 early in the morning. 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.

08

Temperature and wind chill

At around 600 m it will be 0 to 4°C, feeling like -8 to -4°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.

09

Freezing level

The freezing level is close to summit height.

10

Daylight

Sunrise 07:43, Sunset 16:04, about 8.4 hours daylight.

Overnight · 17:00–08:00Wild campingBetaToo windy for an exposed pitch up around 600 m on some hills (gusts of about 40 mph and around 9 mm of rain). Lower down, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. 30Poor · 600 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Wednesday 18 November 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Too windy for an exposed pitch up around 600 m on some hills. Lower down, a mixed night to camp, mainly because of the wind. Gusts reach about 40 mph on open ground, which makes for a noisy, testing night even in a good tent. 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. 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. A cold night, down to about 1°C around 600 m. The ground will be sodden after recent rain, so pick a firm, well-drained pitch.

Overnight rain9.3 mmOpen ground · 600 m25 mph · gusts 40 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible

Moon overnight

Waxing gibbous moon

Illuminated disc
65%
Moonrise
Outside this window
Moonset
00:49 next morning GMT

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

Overnight window: 18 Nov, 17:00 GMT to 19 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 m44 · poor
Wind / gust
21 mph / 33 mph
Coldest
2.7°C
In cloud
20% of modelled night
Condensation
Moderate
600 m30 · poor
Wind / gust
25 mph / 40 mph
Coldest
0.9°C
In cloud
35% of modelled night
Condensation
Moderate

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 & 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 gust39 mphRain14.5 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.

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 Yorkshire Dales on Wednesday 18 November 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 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.