Lake District
The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.
Thursday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
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
Lake District
Thursday 26th March 2026
Last updated
Wed 25th Mar 26 at
4:19PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A sunny start, frosty in England and Scotland; freezing levels at middle heights in Wales. Some snow showers north and west Scotland early. High cloud builds from the west; patchy snow and rain arrive afternoon, spread east, and increase in frequency into night. Rain increasingly to higher slopes as temperature rises.
Headline for Lake District
Early sunshine, patchy rain arrives later; cold
How windy? (On the summits)
North-northwesterly 20-30mph in the morning, shifting westerly and easing, 15-25mph through the afternoon. Restrengthening after nightfall.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small effects most of the day, though the morning breeze may inconvenience walking and require attention to stability on high exposed ridges/tops.
How Wet?
Substantially dry during daylight
Some spotty snow flurries/drizzle falls on the fells afternoon, some refrozen rain mixed in, though most fells likely stay dry. As evening approaches, patchy precipitation increases, the rain level rising to above the summits.
Cloud on the hills?
Clear morning, cloud lowers through afternoon
The occasional cloud patch may graze the high fell tops, but most hills free of cloud through morning. Patchy cloud lowers onto the tops afternoon, broadening into a later and further lowering and becoming extensive into night, to the lower slopes west.
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%, lowering to 20% as dusk approaches
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright sunshine early, high cloud gradually fills in from the west, trending overcast by dusk. Excellent visibility.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-2C, gradually rising, to 0C by evening. A sharp rise from evening, reaching up to +5C for several hours. Feeling like -10 to -13C in early wind.
Freezing Level
300-500m, local valley frosts likely too. Rising, 800m later afternoon, the sharply lifting into evening well above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Friday 27th March 2026
Last updated
Wed 25th Mar 26 at
4:19PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Westerly 30-35mph early in the day; then 15-25mph most of the day, restrengthening into evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small most of the day, though blustery early with walking impeded and feeling chilly.
How Wet?
Early rain soon breaks, few showers later
Persistent rain from overnight lingers into the morning, patchy east of Helvellyn. Rain breaks through the morning, dry for several hours, then a few scattered showers may follow, falling as snow on the tops.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive from dawn, lifting to high summits
Extensive cloud from before dawn, likely 400-500m up, lower west slopes. A breaking trend through morning as rain eases, some ragged patches linger but gradually clearing most slopes below 800m, often higher, though highest western summits may only briefly clear.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast early, patchy sunshine gradually breaking out. Visibility improving, mostly good, though a slight haze to the west.
How Cold? (at 750m)
4C at dawn, sharply dropping a few degrees morning, settling at 0C by dusk. Later, feeling like -10C in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits at dawn, lowering onto just the highest tops around midday, to 700-800m around nightfall.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Saturday 28th March 2026
Last updated
Wed 25th Mar 26 at
4:19PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Westerly 30 to 45mph, likely strongest in the morning, squally gusts. Gales likely return onward into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking over the fells, frequent buffeting at least in morning. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Hail and snow showers
Showers most frequent west Lakeland from dawn, but extending inland and eastwards, brief hail, snow falling in morning to some lower elevations, with time mostly rain below 600m. Fewer and lighter showers afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops, lifting higher
Varied cloud capping higher slopes in the morning above 600-800m, lowest around showers in western areas. Lifting above higher slopes increasingly often into afternoon.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30% rising to 60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of cloud and sun. Visibility often very good, but reduced at times to briefly very poor in showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1C rising to +1 or 2C afternoon. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
600-700m in morning, plus frost in sheltered glens around dawn, rising just above freezing to highest tops afternoon.
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.