Lake District
The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Sunshine and showers
A good amount of dry and bright weather, but scattered bursts of rain, some may be locally heavy.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Thursday 17th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Strong westerly winds, gales widely on Scottish mountains; cool air and significant wind chill factor. Showery rain with heavy bursts mixed in most frequent in western Scotland, but tending to extend eastward. Showers develop more often for northern England too. Fewer showers for Wales after early rain clears.
Headline for Lake District
Wind increasing to gales, feeling chilly; showers become frequent.
How windy? (On the summits)
Southwesterly 25mph from dawn, strengthening into middle of day and afternoon, to 35-40mph with notable gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
A blustery start in exposure, walking increasingly strenuous with buffeting gusts affecting stability; considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Showery rain develops more often
Showers drift from the west much of the day, generally light in nature, but becoming more frequent for several afternoon hours, briefly heavier bursts forming on central and east fells.
Cloud on the hills?
Banks over tops, lowering in showers
Cloud caps will regularly drift over the highest fells, some breaks above the summits, but also lowering more broadly during showers, towards 600-800m, high terrain more often shrouded for several afternoon hours.
Chance of cloud free summits?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, more often sunny on low slopes, though cloudier east afternoon. Good visibility but a building haze, variably deteriorating on high terrain.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7C. Feeling below freezing in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Friday 18th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
West turning SW'ly, 35-40mph, briefly less in morning, but then increasing further to 50mph higher fells afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Generally strenuous in exposure, deteriorating during day to make walking arduous; notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain sets in afternoon
A few spots of drizzly rain in the morning but largely dry. From midday, patchy rain arrives from the west, becoming steadier rain setting in and becoming heavier during afternoon. Rain and drizzle continues into evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to summits, later filling in fairly widely
Cloud on most slopes above 700-800m, lower patches west fells, tending to lift and break up, sometimes off tops. Through afternoon, cloud more broadly over tops, lowering, filling in widely to middle slopes; some higher bases towards Blencathra.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40%, lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchy sunshine, trending overcast, later dull on west summits. Hazy at best, visibility deteriorating to poor as cloud and rain arrives.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7 or 8C, rising towards 9C afternoon and further rising into evening/night. Feeling around 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Saturday 19th September 2026
Last updated
Wed 16th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southwesterly 35 to 45mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous-to-arduous walking conditions, frequent buffeting on high exposed terrain. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Showers
Showery rain most frequent over western Lakeland. Further east a scattering of mostly brief showers in the wind.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying on high tops, lifting higher
Banks of cloud over higher slopes, most frequent western Lakes, base tending to lift in morning 600 to 800m. By afternoon, tending to break higher, best eastwards.
Chance of cloud free summits?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun, more common east Lakes. Slight haze especially toward coasts, reduced in showers, better east.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7 or 8C, trending slightly cooler later in the daytime. Feeling like -2 to -5C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Sustained gale-force winds continue extensively on the mountains into the weekend, southwesterly turning westerly with time. Frequent rain over western hills, showers passing eastwards, tending to fade during Sunday as higher pressure begins to build from the south, allowing wind speeds to lessen too over England & Wales. Warmer into early next week, though higher humidity brings more cloud some drizzly rain to the west. A generally more promising forecast for late September as high pressure nearby offers drier and warmer weather for more places. Weather systems grazing past Scotland to the north still bring locally stronger winds and occasional rain mainly to the northwest.