Lake District
The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.
Today'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 rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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.
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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 rain
Near-constant heavy rain, sometimes torrential over the mountains, very wet underfoot.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
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
Friday 18th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Already windy with light showery rain over western hills early in the day, but conditions will worsen from the west as gales strengthen and rain / drizzle becomes persistent, some heavier rain; cloud bases lower to widely blanket hills, lowest in west.
Headline for Lake District
Windy, strengthening gales; persistent heavy rain develops.
How windy? (On the summits)
West turning southwesterly, 35-40mph, briefly less in morning, but then increasing rapidly into early afternoon to 50mph, or 60mph in places with stronger gusts around higher fells afternoon.
Effect of the wind on you?
Generally strenuous in exposure, deteriorating during day to make walking arduous, in places difficult with considerable wind chill; powerful gusts giving buffeting toward some lower slopes.
How Wet?
Rain sets in afternoon, sustained heavier falls
A few spots of drizzly rain in the morning but largely dry. From midday, patchy rain arrives from the west, steadier rain setting in and becoming prolonged heavy rain during afternoon. Rain and drizzle continues into evening, some further heavy falls. Increasingly wet underfoot, streams rising.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting to summits, then filling in and lowering during afternoon
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 early weak sun, high cloud thickening, trending overcast and dull. Hazy at best, visibility deteriorating to poor as cloud and rain arrives.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7 or 8C, rising in afternoon to reach 11C toward evening, little change after dark; becoming more humid. Feeling near or below 0C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Saturday 19th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
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 to 9C, trending slightly cooler later in the daytime. Feeling like -2 to -5C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Sunday 20th September 2026
Last updated
Thu 17th Sep 26 at
4:22PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Westerly 40mph early morning, tending to lessen gradually to 25mph, slightly less later in day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions moderating, but still blustery and affecting comfortable walking on exposed tops. Marked wind chill.
How Wet?
Soon mostly dry
Drizzly showers mostly western Lakeland early morning, fading to be largely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting above most tops
Patchy cloud above 700-800m in the morning, most common on western fells. Lifting and breaking, but may leave some patches grazing highest tops in west.
Chance of cloud free summits?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Broken cloud and sunshine; high cloud may thicken later. Some haze especially morning, visibility becoming very good.
How Cold? (at 750m)
6 or 7C, little change all day, then tending to rise onward into night. Feeling sub-zero in the stronger wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Gale-force southwesterly winds continue extensively on the mountains into Saturday and early Sunday. 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.