Brecon Beacons
Includes all higher summits in the southern half of Wales: the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park, southern Cambrian Mountains and highest Preseli hills.
Friday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Friday 2nd January 2026
Last updated
Thu 1st Jan 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Bitterly cold north-northwesterly winds, gale-force over many hills, typically strongest in morning, again late in day Scotland. Frequent snow and hail northern Scotland, blizzard conditions on mountains. Showers also affect Wales. Mostly dry, sunny and clear hills N England & S Scotland. Most terrain frozen.
Headline for Brecon Beacons
Windy, significant chill factor. Early snow, then showers west.
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly 25 to 35mph, speeds likely to vary during day, likely lowest later morning; local squally gusts in showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Considerable wind chill over the mountains. Blustery, starting to affect comfortable walking, at times more challenging in exposure on high tops.
How Wet?
Hill snow at first, then showers with hail in west Wales.
A band of showers passing south across all areas from before dawn, snow on hills, sleet or rain below 400m, clearing by mid morning. Then showers feeding inland from Cardigan Bay, snow and hail falling to many lower slopes.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops
Covering many higher slopes with patches to mid-levels in the morning, then likely to come and go on higher tops, mostly above 800m, patches sometimes to 600m in showers. Clearer southeastern areas afternoon.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30% rising to 70% by middle of day.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, best southeast. Visibility varying between very good for periods, to very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-2C. Wind chill feeling like -12C on tops.
Freezing Level
500 to 600m. Soon widely dropping below freezing from valleys upward into evening.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Saturday 3rd January 2026
Last updated
Thu 1st Jan 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North to northwesterly 30 to 35mph, squally gusts locally in showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill over the hills. Strenuous walking conditions, frequent buffeting over exposed higher terrain.
How Wet?
Snow and hail showers toward west
A band of locally frequent snow and hail showers over Pembrokeshire. Rare brief showers elsewhere, often dry much of Brecon Beacons and east Wales.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Rare patches on some high tops, mainly west Wales.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Frequent sunshine Brecon Beacons to east Wales, cloudier west. Visibility excellent, locally reduced in showers in west.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-3C. Wind chill feeling like -15C in exposure on high tops.
Freezing Level
300 to 500m, highest near coast, but terrain part-frozen into valleys inland.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Sunday 4th January 2026
Last updated
Thu 1st Jan 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North to northwesterly 20-25mph, squally gusts locally in showers. May strengthen somewhat into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Continued considerable wind chill over the hills. Affecting ease of walking where exposed on tops.
How Wet?
Snow and hail showers toward west
A band of locally frequent snow and hail showers over Pembrokeshire, increasingly into the western Cambrians. Rare brief showers elsewhere, often dry much of Brecon Beacons and east Wales.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks on central and west tops
Few patches on high tops in the west early, these increasingly common and drifting to high terrain near Brecon. The Black Mountains likely stay clear all day.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%, lowering to 40% central and west
Sunshine and air clarity?
Frequent sunshine Brecon Beacons to east Wales, cloudier west. Visibility excellent, locally reduced in showers in west.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-3C. Wind chill feeling like -15C in exposure on high tops.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen down to valleys well inland; 300 to 400m near coastal slopes, highest towards the Cambrians.
Planning Outlook
Terrain extensively frozen this weekend and early next week; sub-zero temperatures from the glens upward in Scotland and some valleys inland in northern England. Substantial fresh snow accumulations in the North West Highlands and Cairngorms, heavy showers streaming in from the north also containing hail. Largely dry and sunny from central Scotland to northern England. Hail and snow showers will run into north and west Wales from the sea. Bitter northerly winds, up to gale force higher tops, lessening somewhat during Sunday. Some fluctuation of freezing level during next week, though most high terrain stays sub-zero, and as fronts come in from the west, upland snowfalls are possible more widely.