Southern Uplands
The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).
Thursday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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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.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Thursday 4th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 3rd Dec 25 at
4:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A complex weather situation with areas of frequent or persistent rain and hill snow, focused from the southern Highlands to northern England; often strong SE'ly winds. Further north in the Highlands, generally drier with higher cloud breaks. In Wales, becoming showery westerlies with risk of hail.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Strongest wind morning, areas of rain, low cloud widely.
How windy? (On the summits)
Southeasterly 30-40mph from dawn. Tending to gradually ease toward 20-25mph, or less in west later, direction then variable.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery over the tops in morning; easing gradually to fairly small effects. Marked wind chill in stronger speeds.
How Wet?
Intermittent rain
Rain likely most persistent and at times heavy in Dumfries and Galloway, patchier elsewhere, but risk often damp. Snow falling at times over highest tops around 800m.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Largely shrouding high terrain with bases down southern slopes to 600-700m, sometimes lower in rain, particularly east. Higher bases towards the Central Belt, some local breaks possible north Borders/Lothians.
Chance of cloud free summits?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and generally dull, poor visibility around rain and low cloud, but variable and in places may improve.
How Cold? (at 750m)
1 or 2C. Feeling like -8C in the morning wind.
Freezing Level
May just touch the highest summits later in the day, though perhaps entirely above.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Friday 5th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 3rd Dec 25 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly 25-35mph, trending southeasterly and rising towards 40mph, further deteriorating into night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Comfortable walking affected from dawn, increasingly strenuous with buffeting gusts in exposure. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy rain/sleet, heavy rain later
Patchy morning rain/sleet, mostly in the west, isolated patches drift east. Rain arrives from the southwest afternoon, spreading widely and persistently into night with heavy falls.
Cloud on the hills?
Variable, often capping high tops
High tops likely remain capped in cloud with banks often lowering across high slopes, or middle slopes in rain. May be more sheet-like for a time in the east. Cloud isolates to higher terrain for a few hours before arriving more widely from the west later.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
A bright sunrise north Borders/Lothians, soon overcast. Very good visibility away from rain.
How Cold? (at 750m)
1C, rising a degree afternoon and continuing to rise overnight. Feeling like -12C in wind.
Freezing Level
Variable between 600-800m. Rapidly rising after nightfall.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Saturday 6th December 2025
Last updated
Wed 3rd Dec 25 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Variable south to southeast 10 to 20mph, may turn southwesterly and increase a little near the Solway.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle
Generally damp all day where in cloud, periods of rain likely on and off at least. Some showery rain possible near Solway Firth.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive low cloud
Likely to blanket the hills all day, fairly extensive from mid-slopes upward, some varied banks of cloud to lower slopes. Some breaks may emerge toward the north.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun unlikely, generally misty and dull. Local improvements may develop.
How Cold? (at 750m)
4C. Feeling sub-zero if exposed to stronger winds on hills.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled through the weekend and into next week with areas of low pressure circulating near to the British Isles. Temperatures often near to freezing point on higher Scottish mountains, at times on tops elsewhere, though some thawing will occur periodically even to high tops in the Highlands. A complex series of frontal systems bringing spells of rain and some upland snow, mixed with showers with hail mostly near western coasts. Wind speeds will also vary, often south to southwesterlies, at times reaching gale force on tops, but intermittent lulls.