Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
The entire Yorkshire Dales National Park and North Pennines AONB, including the Three Peaks and Cross Fell, plus Howgills, also south to Forest of Bowland.
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
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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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
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
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Thursday 25th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 24th Dec 25 at
4:20PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Dry with sunshine best in west and northern Scotland, high terrain warmer than many lower slopes, local low-level fog. High summits SE Highlands likely just above patchy cloud. Mostly cloudy Pennines, grazing tops, clearer westward across the Lakes. Gusty easterly winds, strongest further south, gale-force in Wales.
Headline for Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Strong and gusty wind, cold. Cloudy, grazing some tops.
How windy? (On the summits)
Easterly 25-35mph, strongest southern Yorks Dales NP with gusts reaching 40mph, including downslope gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Comfort of walking affected, becoming strenuous in exposure on southern fells, sudden buffeting gusts not just on tops. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Most fells dry
Rare fine drizzle possible where in cloud mainly eastern Pennines, otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly highest tops, breaks west
Cloud over the high fells mostly above 700m, most frequent over North Pennines and highest eastern tops in Yorks Dales. Occasional patches graze tops elsewhere, but often above hills; cloud well broken western Dales.
Chance of cloud free summits?
60% higher North Pennies; 80% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often cloudy, though patchy sun breaks most frequent west Yorks Dales NP. Excellent visibility, some haze.
How Cold? (at 700m)
-1 or 0C. Feeling as cold as -13C in strongest wind.
And in the valleys
1C from dawn, only rising slightly, locally 3C in sunny south-facing dales.
Viewing Forecast For
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Friday 26th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 24th Dec 25 at
4:20PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Easterly 20 to 30mph, stronger gusts around some high tops; locally also gusty downslope western side of Pennines.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery with considerable wind chill in exposure over the fells, in places sudden buffeting gusts not just on the summits.
How Wet?
Precipitation rare if any
Chance of brief snow grains mainly eastern North Pennines, light rain spots lower down.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly high tops and in north/east
Cloud banks coming in from the east may persist across higher slopes in North Pennines, base 600m. Occasional patches drifting west and southwest to cap high tops at times, but often clearing.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40% northeast, to 70% elsewhere.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Fairly cloudy all day most eastern areas, dull but visibility good below cloud. Some sun breaking through west, visibility excellent here.
How Cold? (at 700m)
0C, small variation with height. Feeling like -10C directly in the stronger wind.
And in the valleys
Near 0C from dawn, frost in sheltered spots. Reaching max 3 or 4C.
Viewing Forecast For
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Saturday 27th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 24th Dec 25 at
4:20PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Easterly 25 to 35mph, stronger gusts around some slopes near high tops and downslope to the west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting to affect comfortable walking and balance in exposure, sudden buffeting gusts in places; considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
A little rain northeast
Occasional spots of light rain east and mainly northeastern Pennines. Largely dry western areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Most common N Pennines tops
Cloud banks mostly above 700m, may be frequent over higher North Pennines; patchier toward western Yorks Dales.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40% N/E Pennines, 60% Three Peaks.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Rather cloudy overall, some brighter breaks western Dales. Visibility very good, some haze east.
How Cold? (at 700m)
0 to 2C, coolest eastern North Pennines; may rise slightly higher western Dales. Feeling like -8 to -10C in stronger wind.
And in the valleys
3 to 5C, locally rising to 7C western Yorkshire Dales.
Planning Outlook
Dry weather continues into the weekend as a strong area of high pressure resides near or north of Scotland. Inversion conditions Scottish mountains, high tops generally above freezing and above most patchy cloud, some frost and fog in glens. Gusty east-northeasterly wind increasing for Scotland by Saturday, easing again for Sunday. Strong and gusty winds prevail for England and Wales, often cloudy, a little light rain occasionally Pennines; some sun toward west. Next week stays dry for many, local showers northern Scotland, possibly turning chillier with northerly winds. *** Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year from all the team at MWIS ***