Peak District
The southernmost Pennines, covering the entire Peak District National Park, also extending north to hills accessed from Hebden Bridge, and including the hills immediately north of Manchester.
Wednesday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
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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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Heavy snow and hail showers, isolated lightning
Showery precipitation, often heavy, may merge to become constant for periods. A mix of snow and hail often falling to lower slopes. Risk of very localised thunder and lightning.
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
Peak District
Wednesday 25th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread hail and snow showers, at times heavy with a risk of isolated lightning. Fewer showers in the N Pennines and southeast Scotland for a few morning hours, but returning afternoon. Gales widespread as well with sudden strong gusts, easing only slightly in Scotland. Cold, staying below freezing above 500-600m.
Headline for Peak District
Frequent snow and hail showers; gales
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly 40 to 50mph, varying speeds with squally gusts around showers, approaching 55mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous most of the day, often challenging in exposure with significant wind chill. Beware sudden, strong gusts that will require bracing to maintain stability.
How Wet?
Frequent hail and snow
Showery snow and hail falling to lower slopes, frequent in western areas from dawn, but increasingly widespread across the region. Chance of isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Briefly on higher slopes
Most cloud above the hills, but patches grazing higher moors mostly western areas around showers.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine, most widely morning. Visibility at times very good, but appalling in showers with brief whiteout over tops.
Temperature (at 600m)
0 or -1C at dawn. Slight rise into afternoon. Wind chill feeling like -12 to -15C on tops.
And in the valleys
2C from dawn, local frosts possible in sheltered valleys. rising to 5C afternoon, but dropping back several degrees during showers.
Viewing Forecast For
Peak District
Thursday 26th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North-northwesterly 20-25mph, gradually easing, shifting northwesterly, 15mph into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking impeded with stability affected on high exposed moors early. Easing to fairly small effects.
How Wet?
No precipitation during daytime
Any precipitation unlikely during daylight; patchy rain arrives as night falls.
Cloud on the hills?
Any cloud unlikely
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine in the morning, high cloud starting to build from midday onward. Excellent visibility.
Temperature (at 600m)
-1 or -2C, lifting to +2C, several degrees higher overnight. Feeling like -10C in early wind.
And in the valleys
Frost in the valleys at dawn, locally -2C. lifting to 6 or 7C.
Viewing Forecast For
Peak District
Friday 27th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 24th Mar 26 at
3:40PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Westerly 25-35mph, some notable gusts over exposed tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking at times strenuous in exposure with buffeting gusts affecting stability. Feeling increasingly chilly.
How Wet?
Morning rain eases through afternoon
Often raining through the morning, most persistent on the western slopes. A breaking trend afternoon, lingering longest in the south, mostly dry by dusk.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, some improvement
Extensive through morning to at least the middle slopes, often lower in the west. A lifting tendency, perhaps just to higher edges afternoon, then more substantially breaking late in the day.
Chance of cloud free summits?
20%, later rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun breaking out with time. Visibility often poor in rain, improving later, often best in the east.
Temperature (at 600m)
6 or 7C through morning. Sharply cooling afternoon, 3C into night. Later, feeling like -5C in the wind.
And in the valleys
6C from dawn, rising up to 8C by early afternoon, then cooling rapidly, 4C by nightfall.
Planning Outlook
Thursday starts chilly with clear skies for many, snow then rain moves into western areas with time. Strong northwesterly winds prevail as the weekend starts, brining cooler temperatures and a mix of showers and sun across most areas, the showers likely snowy to middle elevations with some hail mixed in. The cool, spring-like conditions will allow showers to become heavier and more widespread in the afternoon. Sunday into next week sees high pressure southwest of the country, producing drier weather with sun breaks, a trend towards milder temperatures too, but several low pressure systems to the north draw bands of rain eastward, mostly affecting Scotland, occasionally northern England and Wales. A risk of cooler northerly winds re-establishing later in the week, though detail is uncertain.