Lake District
The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
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
Wednesday 15th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread gales, powerful gusts over tops and down northern slopes, severe at times in Scotland, particularly west. Persistent rain for many, brief dry windows east (notably Pennines), then heavy rain sweeps east afternoon, followed by showers, only easing late in the day. Mild air, but feeling cold in wind.
Headline for Lake District
Often raining, sometimes heavily; windy, gale-force gusts
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly 35-45mph; very gusty, not just high elevations. Strongest winds western fells, where most powerful gusts approach 55mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking with significant wind chill all day, to sometimes challenging conditions, particularly western fells where strongest speeds will make forward progress and maintaining stability difficult.
How Wet?
Often raining, occasional breaks, best northeast
Often raining, occasional dry spells, best chance of dry weather northeast Lakeland, though likely staying drizzly over the high fells during breaks in the rain. Later, setting in persistent and heavier for a few hours, a risk of a very heavy fall, breaking into showers to finish the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive early, some improvement
Extensive at dawn to middle slopes, lower in the south and west where locally to valley level. A lifting trend with time, variable between 500-800m, perhaps an odd higher break; always lowest in the south/west. More extensive again later.
Chance of cloud free summits?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few glimpses of weak afternoon sun, but otherwise mostly cloudy. Mixed visibility, often poor in cloud/drizzle but very good where out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7 or 8C, little change with heigh from dawn. May rise a degree, but then a rapid cooling as night falls. Feeling as cold as -8C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Thursday 16th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southwesterly 30-40mph, stronger over tops early, risk 50mph briefly. An easing trend, to 25-30mph later in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking and feeling chilly at dawn, an easing trend, may become fairly small but blustery in exposure.
How Wet?
Early drizzle, some showers
Drizzly on high terrain at dawn, locally to middle slopes west fells. Showers soon arrive from the west, perhaps frequent for a time, but easing afternoon to sparse drizzly moments.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud improves, most east summits clearing
Cloud shrouds most terrain above 700m from dawn, lowest western fells where 500m or lower. Bases lift and cloud trends patchy with time, eastern fells seeing breaks to summits. Western fells slower to clear, perhaps only fleeting clear spells over Scafell.
Chance of cloud free summits?
Rising to 50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine increasingly breaking out, a patchwork through afternoon. Visibility increasingly good away from cloud and showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
4C rising to 5C. Feeling like -5 to -8C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Friday 17th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly 30-35mph, gradually strengthening, tops speeds 45mph later, shifting southwesterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery in exposure all day, walking increasingly strenuous with notable wind chill, arduous later.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, setting in heavy for a time
Patchy rain from dawn, most often on fells from Coniston to Pillar, gradually increasing in frequency, then setting in for several hours with heavy falls. Breaking again later into showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive for a time
Cloud shrouds the high tops from before dawn, soon lowering to high terrain and filling in more extensively to middle slopes, at least, during rain, lowest southwest fells. Bases rise again later, mostly high terrain and possible breaks.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10%, 30% later
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, dull for several hours as rain sets in with poor visibility. Later, sunny bursts with improved visibility.
How Cold? (at 750m)
5 or 6C. Feeling like -5 to -8C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled conditions as the weekend approaches: showery on Thursday (local hail and lightning in Scotland), more rain and often heavy on Friday, accompanied by gusty winds, gales over mountains for periods; some bright spells on Thursday and later Friday too. Temperatures will tend to rise several degrees during daylight, even when cloudy, and often becoming warm in the valleys; slopes north of major hill groups often milder too. Saturday sees continued showers, mostly north and west where staying blustery, but a trend towards higher pressure building through late weekend into early next week. Confidence in detail for oncoming high pressure remains very low: a risk of chilly easterly wind for a time with showers, mostly east and southern areas.