Brecon Beacons
Includes all higher summits in the southern half of Wales: the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park, southern Cambrian Mountains and highest Preseli hills.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Heavy snow
Continuous or almost constant heavy snowfall, large flakes falling to low elevations. Beware of near-zero visibility from falling or blowing snow, risk of blizzard conditions.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where 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.
Heavy snow
Continuous or almost constant heavy snowfall, large flakes falling to low elevations. Beware of near-zero visibility from falling or blowing snow, risk of blizzard conditions.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Thursday 8th January 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Fairly benign conditions, breezier in northern Scotland. Local snow flurries, patchy cloud and some sun. A developing system to the southwest moves into Wales with heavy snow setting in increasingly widely later, extending into the Peak District by evening, accompanied by gales.
Headline for Brecon Beacons
Strengthening wind, gales develop; heavy snow setting in.
How windy? (On the summits)
Direction and speed varying, a lull for a few hours, then increasing easterly 30-40mph afternoon up to dusk, turning northerly 50-60mph into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, then becoming increasingly blustery, more challenging later afternoon, deteriorating further into evening-night.
How Wet?
Patchy snow, setting in heavier afternoon
Occasional snow flurries on tops, sleet or rain to mid-slopes in morning. Increasingly persistent hill snow to lowering elevations, setting in heavier afternoon-evening, rain for a time lower southern areas, turning mostly to snow.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied cloud and fog
Patchy cloud around some higher tops, possible fog some valleys also. Cloud banks developing and lowering more widely over hills as snow sets in.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40% dropping below 10% later
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, thickening layers of high cloud. Hazy, visibility increasingly poor.
How Cold? (at 750m)
0 or -1C. Feeling like -10C up to dusk as wind increases, colder after dark.
Freezing Level
700 to 800m, partly frozen terrain lower down. Toward evening very varied, but dropping to lower slopes, soonest mid-Wales, widely after dark.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Friday 9th January 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North to northwesterly 30 to 40mph, risk over 50mph up to dawn at least.
Effect of the wind on you?
Considerable wind chill and affecting ease of walking on exposed terrain; risk more challenging early in day.
How Wet?
Snow fading, showers west
Expect considerable fresh lying snow from valleys upward inland following overnight falls, which may continue as light snow into the morning, turning to sleet or rain lower slopes, showers mostly in west.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, rising with breaks
Shrouding most higher areas in the morning, banks of cloud mid-slopes up in places. Tending to lift to upper slopes, some breaks forming, best south/east.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, rare if any sun due to a veil of high cloud. Difficult navigation if in fog over snow cover, visibility likely improves with time away from showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1 or -2C. Feeling near/below -10C if exposed to stronger winds.
Freezing Level
500 to 600m, but terrain partly frozen into many valleys inland in the morning, where snow cover may persist.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Saturday 10th January 2026
Last updated
Wed 7th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North-northwesterly 15 to 25mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but risk noticeable wind chill in exposure on hills.
How Wet?
Rare showers
Risk of occasional light showers mostly west coast hills, spots of rain, snow flurries if above 500m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little
Fragments of cloud around some slopes and tops, but many hills often clear. Some mist possible into valleys.
Chance of cloud free summits?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mix of cloud and sun. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1C. Feeling like -7C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
Much terrain frozen inland, frost into valleys in morning; then 500m, up to 600-700m nearest the west coast.
Planning Outlook
Terrain remaining widely frozen into the weekend, extensive deep snow cover for Highlands, less nearer the central belt. A fresh good covering for Wales and south Pennines from Thursday night too. Quiet weather for Saturday daytime. Then into Sunday, southerly winds strengthen to gales - as a frontal system approaches, snow then freezing rain is likely. A rise of freezing level from the southwest - some thawing develops, rising just above freezing toward higher slopes; more pronounced thawing in England and Wales to the tops. Uncertain patterns next week, colder air may return across Scotland, whilst further south often generally milder. Some further hill snow mainly in Scotland.