Southern Uplands
The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).
Wednesday'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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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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.
Frequent or persistent rain
Steady rain fairly persistent, occasionally heavy, rather wet underfoot.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Wednesday 15th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Widespread gales, powerful gusts over tops and down northern slopes, severe at times in Scotland, particularly west. Persistent rain for many, brief dry windows east (notably Pennines), then heavy rain sweeps east afternoon, followed by showers, only easing late in the day. Mild air, but feeling cold in wind.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Rain most persistent west; gusty gales, feeling cold despite mild air
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly 40-50mph, strongest wind typically west; very gusty over the tops and down northern slopes, to some lower elevations; risk of top speeds approaching 60mph west early in the day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous to often challenging walking with significant wind chill all day; gusts constantly affecting stability, particularly west where strongest speeds will make any forward progress tortuous.
How Wet?
Often raining, persistent west
Raining on most hills from dawn, breaking into patches from the Cheviot to the Lothians; drizzle lingers on high tops. Persistent rain near/west of M74, near-constant southern Galloway hills. A heavier band of rain passes east later, risk of heavy bursts as it passes. The west finishes with drizzle and scattered showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive west, improvements east
Extensive cloud shrouds Dumfries and Galloway hills from middle slopes up all day, lower slopes in the morning, and locally in valleys in the south. Extensive early east, bases lifting, towards 700-800m Lothians, chance brief breaks off high tops.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10% west, 30% east
Sunshine and air clarity?
A few glimpses of weak afternoon sun, but otherwise overcast. Mixed visibility, often poor in cloud/drizzle but very good where out of cloud.
How Cold? (at 750m)
7 or 8C, to 9C eastern Borders and Cheviots. Little change with height from dawn. A rapid cooling west as night falls. Feeling like -6 to -8C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Thursday 16th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southwesterly 35-45mph, risk 50mph tops early. An easing trend, to 25-30mph, locally stronger over tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking often strenuous on high exposed terrain, particularly early when stability will require extra effort; notable wind chill.
How Wet?
Early drizzle, soon showery
Drizzly on high terrain at dawn, locally to middle slopes west of M74. Showers soon arrive from the west, frequent for periods with local heavy falls, becoming well scattered later afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Early cloud improves, most east summits clearing
Extensive over high terrain at dawn, to the middle south Galloway slopes or lower. Bases lift with time, breaks forming, summits east of M74 often clear afternoon, just fleeting caps on tops. Merrick will be slower to clear, and perhaps cloud lingers over the summit and south slopes until later.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%, rising to 70% east
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sun increasingly breaking out, a patchwork through afternoon. Visibility becoming excellent.
How Cold? (at 750m)
3C rising to 5 or 6C. Feeling as cold as -8C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Friday 17th April 2026
Last updated
Tue 14th Apr 26 at
4:25PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly 25-40mph morning, strongest west, and strengthening, to 35-50mph, always strongest tops from M74 west.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small effects in the far east at dawn, but walking soon strenuous, increasingly challenging far west with wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, setting in heavy for a time
Patchy rain from dawn, most frequent from M74 westward, increasingly frequent here and becoming heavier, then a band of moderate-to-heavy rain sweeps east across the whole region. Showers follow in the west later.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive for a time
Cloud shrouds most terrain above 700-800m by dawn, best chance of early higher bases east Borders and Lothians. Bases soon to middle or lower slopes in south Galloway, and more widely extensive as rain passes east. Some improvement later.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, dull for several hours as rain sets in with poor visibility. Later, sunny bursts with improved visibility.
How Cold? (at 750m)
5 or 6C. Feeling like -5 to -10C in strongest direct wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Unsettled conditions as the weekend approaches: showery on Thursday (local hail and lightning in Scotland), more rain and often heavy on Friday, accompanied by gusty winds, gales over mountains for periods; some bright spells on Thursday and later Friday too. Temperatures will tend to rise several degrees during daylight, even when cloudy, and often becoming warm in the valleys; slopes north of major hill groups often milder too. Saturday sees continued showers, mostly north and west where staying blustery, but a trend towards higher pressure building through late weekend into early next week. Confidence in detail for oncoming high pressure remains very low: a risk of chilly easterly wind for a time with showers, mostly east and southern areas.