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Southern Uplands Forecast

Southern Uplands

The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).

Thursday's Forecast

Moderate breeze, locally gusty
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Clear
Cold

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Click here to download the latest PDF Last Updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM Last Updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM
View our low-graphics version Last Updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM Last Updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM

Viewing Forecast For

Southern Uplands
Thursday 2nd April 2026
Last updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM

Summary for all mountain areas

Patchy cloud lingering on upper hills at dawn, clearing for several hours of sunshine and light wind. Wind begins strengthening from the west in Scotland, high cloud builds, with rain and snow arriving and spreading into central Scotland by evening. England and Wales stay dry, small increase in wind and high cloud later.

Headline for Southern Uplands

Often sunny, mostly light wind; rain west late afternoon

How windy? (On the summits)

Variable 10mph or less, though perhaps 20mph northeasterlies over the Cheviot at dawn. Through afternoon, turning southerly and strengthening from the west, finishing the day at 20-30mph, strongest west with gusts over high tops up to 35mph.

Effect of the wind on you?

Small most of the day, but beginning to feel blustery in exposure as the afternoon goes, perhaps walking becoming impeded late in the day in the west with wind chill.

How Wet?

Likely dry during daylight

A few spots of drizzle and snow flurries may affect Cheviots and Lothians at and before dawn, otherwise dry. Late in the day/evening, rain arrives onto western Galloway hills, setting in quite heavily with patches drifting east.

Cloud on the hills?

Hills mostly clear

Some patchy cloud on high terrain of the Cheviot in the morning, but all hills soon clear of cloud through morning and into afternoon. Through afternoon, an increasing chance of cloud caps over high Galloway hills, and possibly Borders too.

Chance of cloud free summits?

90%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Mostly sunny, occasionally weakened by high cloud, a broader veil of high cloud approaches the west later in the day. Very good visibility.

How Cold? (at 750m)

-2C at dawn, lifting to 0 or +1C, locally a degree warmer towards the Central Belt and Lothians.

Freezing Level

300-400m, though frosts likely in lower sheltered valleys too. Lifting to 700-800m, to above the summits around and after dusk.

Viewing Forecast For

Southern Uplands
Friday 3rd April 2026
Last updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM

How windy? (On the summits)

Southwesterly 35-50mph early with powerful gusts. An easing trend is probable, locally 20mph afternoon.

Effect of the wind on you?

Challenging conditions early with significant wind chill. Effects will ease, but wind remains a nuisance in exposure.

How Wet?

Showery rain

Showery rain affecting the central and western hills for much of the day, spreading east at times, merging into broader areas of rain for periods. Drier windows are probable, particularly east.

Cloud on the hills?

Most extensive west

Most higher terrain stays in cloud all day, some variability as rain comes and goes, bases often down to middle slopes in the west due to frequent rain. A window of higher bases is possible, best chance of higher breaks in the far east.

Chance of cloud free summits?

20%, 30% eastern hills

Sunshine and air clarity?

A few glimpses of sun my break out but the day will be mostly cloudy. Generally poor visibility, but variable, good during breaks in rain/cloud.

How Cold? (at 750m)

+3C at dawn east, cooling from the west, variable between 0 to +2C. Feeling as cold as -10C in direct wind.

Freezing Level

Above the summits, lowering later afternoon to 700-800m, lowest west.

Viewing Forecast For

Southern Uplands
Saturday 4th April 2026
Last updated Wed 1st Apr 26 at 4:14PM

How windy? (On the summits)

Soon southerly, briefly below 20mph early in day, but rapid increase to 40-60mph afternoon, soonest west, 70mph+ later.

Effect of the wind on you?

Small early in day, but likely deteriorating significantly during daytime - with time any mobility increasingly difficult.

How Wet?

Rain developing, setting in

Likely dry possibly most of morning, then patchy rain developing, briefly may be snow on tops. Increasingly persistent rain likely sets in from south, heaviest Dumfries and Galloway.

Cloud on the hills?

Lowering extensively

Patchy cloud mostly around southern slopes in the morning, many hills may be clear for a few hours. Increasingly lowering across the hills as rain develops, filling in to lower elevations near Solway.

Chance of cloud free summits?

60% dropping to 10%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Any weak sun in morning soon giving way to overcast skies. Visibility very good possibly for several hours, then reducing to be poor.

How Cold? (at 750m)

-1C rising to +3C afternoon, then dropping to again into night. Feeling like -10C or below as wind strengthens.

Freezing Level

Frost in sheltered valleys at dawn, 600m by mid-morning, rising above the tops, then back to 600-700m into night.

Planning Outlook

Atlantic weather patterns and generally westerly wind will be dominant in the foreseeable future. The weekend ahead is increasingly unsettled, widespread gales on Easter with storm-force wind in Scotland, cooler temperatures, and showers west. Into next week, temperature and wind will be variable, periods of gales and possibly often cold over the mountains with snow and hail showers at times to lower elevations at least in Scotland, sometimes more widely. Precipitation generally most frequent west and northwest, though bands of heavy rain will sweep east at times. Some brief windows of drier and brighter conditions, as well as milder days in England and Wales, occasionally milder Scotland too, but soon followed by more Atlantic low pressure systems.