Southern Uplands
The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).
Sunday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
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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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Very cold
Significant wintry conditions - below freezing from lower elevations up all day, -7 or -8C highest summits, feeling like -20C or below on high tops due to wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia risk. Substantial protective clothing is required.
Terrain widely frozen
All ground frozen from lower elevations upward, with hard frost or snow cover. Beware of icy surfaces on lower and higher terrain. Appropriate footwear needed, crampons may be necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Sunday 4th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Snow, hail, and wind continues driving into northern Scotland with showers passing into central and western areas; snow coverage fairly widespread in the Highlands. Southern Scotland and England mostly sunny, blustery in exposure. More snow and hail showers for Wales, pushing further east afternoon. Widely very cold.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Blustery east; risk odd coastal snow showers, otherwise clear
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly 25 to 35mph, strongest eastern hills, nearer 40mph at times over the Cheviot.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill over the hills. Strenuous walking on exposed higher terrain, particularly in east where stability will be challenged.
How Wet?
Most places dry
A few snow showers coming in from the north clip the western Galloway hills in the hours around midday. Showers over the North Sea may graze inland onto easternmost hills too. Otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Rare patches on the higher tops of Galloway and upper slopes facing Ayrshire, a greater risk of cloud for a few hours around midday. Hills otherwise clear of cloud.
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by some high cloud from morning through midday, tending to clear for sunny conditions afternoon. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 750m)
Mostly -5C, though at times a degree warmer and cooler in the far west and east, respectively. Wind chill feeling like -17C in exposure on high tops.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen, staying at or below freezing from the valleys upwards.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Monday 5th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Northerly 25-35mph, strongest wind near coasts. Shifting northwesterly afternoon and easing to 20-25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Continued significant wind chill over the hills. Strenuous walking on exposed terrain.
How Wet?
Most places dry
A few snow showers may clip the hills of Ayrshire and the Cheviots, but often dry , no precipitation expected further inland.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little
Cloud caps will graze the high eastern Borders and Cheviot hills. Rare patches on the higher tops of Galloway and upper Ayrshire slopes and scattered across the high Borders, but most hills stay clear of cloud.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-5C at dawn, lifting very slightly with time. Wind chill feeling like -18C in exposure on high tops.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen, staying at or below freezing from the valleys upwards.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Tuesday 6th January 2026
Last updated
Sat 3rd Jan 26 at
3:29PM
How windy? (On the summits)
West-southwesterly 20-25mph, gradually rising with time, reaching 40mph or higher over summits by dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking becoming strenuous with time though variable; significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy snow
Patches of snow will drift east, though many hills will see extended dry periods, particularly east. Late in the day, snow will set in more widely for several hours.
Cloud on the hills?
Covering summits, gradually more extensive
Cloud shrouds the summits most of the day, a few summits may be clear just at and before dawn. Bases lower to the middle slopes during snow showers, gradually becoming more extensive from the west with time.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30% lowering to 10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few bright/sunny bursts here and there, becoming overcast afternoon. Variable visibility, very poor during snow but becoming good during dry periods.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-3C, lifting to around -1C though variable, highest temperatures in the west. Feeling like -15C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain frozen from overnight, lifting to 200-400m, highest level west; sheltered valleys may stay frozen.
Planning Outlook
Monday stays cold with terrain widely frozen; sunshine inland with continued snow showers along coasts. The weather then turns more variable: fronts begin to approach the country on Tuesday, with cloud gradually becoming widespread on high terrain from the north, an area of snow arriving widely into Scotland and tracking south into England and Wales overnight into Wednesday. Most terrain will stay frozen but a brief local lifting of freezing levels in western areas. Some sunny breaks and snow showers will follow this system. Beyond Wednesday, confidence in forecast detail is significantly lower, but another weather system is indicated for Thursday into Friday, this possibly bringing a swathe of snow, rain, and strong winds to the south and perhaps more widely.