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.
Saturday'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.
Winter sunshine
Bright sunshine most of the day with the mountains generally free of cloud. Snow cover on higher terrain.
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.
Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.
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.
Winter sunshine
Bright sunshine most of the day with the mountains generally free of cloud. Snow cover on higher terrain.
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
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Saturday 3rd January 2026
Last updated
Fri 2nd Jan 26 at
3:16PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread sub-zero temperatures and wind, gales in northern England and Scotland; wind chill approaching -20C or lower on high summits. Near-constant snow showers in northern Scotland with snowdrifts building; snow showers into central/west Scotland and west Wales too. Mostly sunny southern Scotland and England.
Headline for Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Bitterly cold gales; dry and mostly sunny
How windy? (On the summits)
North to northwesterly 35 to 45mph, strongest higher North Pennines, over 50mph in places higher up in the morning. A slight easing is possible later afternoon though staying largely above 30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Severe wind chill over the fells. Frequent buffeting on exposed higher terrain, arduous walking through the morning, a slight easing of conditions with time.
How Wet?
Precipitation not expected
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Occasional patches on the higher North Pennines. Yorks Dales NP likely stays clear of cloud.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 700m)
-4 or -5C. Wind chill feeling like -20C or colder in exposure on the high tops.
And in the valleys
Terrain widely frozen, starting near or below -4C from dawn, staying sub-zero in many valleys, locally lifting to 0 or +1C on sun-exposed southern aspects.
Viewing Forecast For
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Sunday 4th January 2026
Last updated
Fri 2nd Jan 26 at
3:16PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly 30 to 35mph, strongest higher North Pennines, 40mph at times.
Effect of the wind on you?
Continued significant wind chill over the hills. Strenuous walking with buffeting in exposure.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Rare patches higher North Pennines; clear elsewhere.
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny, some high from time to time. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 700m)
-3 to -4C, coldest in the N Pennines. Wind chill feeling like -17C in exposure on high tops.
And in the valleys
Terrain widely frozen, starting near -5C or colder from dawn, staying sub-zero most valleys, 0 or 1C where exposed to sun.
Viewing Forecast For
Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Monday 5th January 2026
Last updated
Fri 2nd Jan 26 at
3:16PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Northerly 25-30mph, stronger winds early in the east. Shifting northwesterly through afternoon and easing slightly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill over the fells. Strenuous walking with buffeting in exposure, trending easier with time.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Small chance of a fleeting snow shower reaching easternmost fells, likely entirely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Occasional patches over the higher North Pennines; clear elsewhere.
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny, though patchy cloud will linger over the eastern N Pennines. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 700m)
-4 or -5C, coldest in the N Pennines. Wind chill feeling as cold as -18C in exposure on high tops.
And in the valleys
Terrain widely frozen, starting locally below -5C from dawn, staying sub-zero all day, only reaching -2C N Pennines.
Planning Outlook
Terrain extensively frozen into early next week; sub-zero temperatures from the glens upward in Scotland and increasingly into valleys in England and Wales. Heavy showers streaming into northern and coastal Scotland, some containing hail, most terrain covered in snow with substantial snowdrifts in the Northwest Highlands and Cairngorms. Largely dry and sunny in southern Scotland and England. Hail and snow showers will run into north and west Wales from the sea. Bitter northerly winds, up to gale force higher tops at times. More variable next week: some fluctuation of freezing level during next week, though most high terrain stays sub-zero, and as fronts come in from the west, upland snowfalls are possible more widely.