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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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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.
Patchy cloud and winter sun
Mostly dry with a mix of cloud and sun, patchy cloud occasionally covering some mountain slopes.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold with widespread gales in exposure; powerful gusts and severe wind chill. North and west Scotland often dry and free of cloud; an increasing risk of snow south with time, possibly east as well. English hills largely dry, hill cloud mostly isolated to high Pennines. Cloudier Wales with snow arriving from the south.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Gales, powerful gusts, and severe chill factor; inland hills clear
How windy? (On the summits)
Southeasterly 35-45mph, always strongest in the west, also very gusty over high terrain, most powerful gusts in the west approaching 55mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking and severe wind chill; stability constantly affected on high terrain in buffeting gusts; strongest gusts may knock you off your feet.
How Wet?
Little or no precipitation
Small chance of a few snow flurries over high terrain in the far west and east (slopes nearest the coasts), a few patches may drift further east into Dumfries and Galloway, but otherwise dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Likely little
Cloud caps occasionally graze the high tops of the Cheviots and Galloway hills, other hills free of cloud. A rising chance of banks over high terrain of Borders and Cheviots late in the day.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud, may become more substantially shrouded in the west with time. Very good visibility.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-3 or -4C from dawn, the coldest temperatures on central and western hills. Likely rising a degree. Feeling as cold as -18C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
Terrain widely frozen, thaws up to 400-500m, then refreezing fairly widely overnight.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Thursday 19th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southeasterly 30-40mph, gusty; a gradual southerly trend with time and trending towards lighter speeds.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking arduous to start the day, effects easing but walking remains strenuous with buffeting and significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Precipitation unlikely
Small chance of some light snow flurries affecting Galloway, but likely dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Little or no cloud
Early in the day, clouds may cap the high tops of the Cheviots and Galloway hills, and perhaps some lower bases in the eastern Cheviots. Most cloud will clear, though a risk of caps lingering on Merrick at times.
Chance of cloud free summits?
90%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Often sunny but weakened by high cloud. Very good visibility, some haze near the Central Belt.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-2 or -3C from dawn, lifting slightly, to -1C but local variability is likely. Feeling like -10 to -12C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
200-300m from dawn, lifting to 500-600m, though higher thaws possible on aspects near Central Belt.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Friday 20th February 2026
Last updated
Tue 17th Feb 26 at
3:59PM
How windy? (On the summits)
South-southwesterly 30-40mph, strongest west and becoming more widely near 40-45mph or higher and gusty.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking with significant wind chill; stability constantly challenged; a deteriorating trend is possible.
How Wet?
Periods of rain
Several areas of rain will pass east through the day; falling as snow early but the level rising. Best dry periods to the northeast. High Galloway to Moffat hills sometimes drizzly between rain.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Cloud likely shrouds the high tops all day, filling in extensively to middle slopes during periods of rain, but breaks to high terrain or locally to some summits during breaks in rain. Southwestern aspects will see the most persistent cloud.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy but some bright/sunny breaks will come and go, best towards the Central Belt. Variable visibility, very good when out of cloud and rain.
How Cold? (at 750m)
0C from dawn, lifting to 3 or 4C. Feeling like -5 to -10C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
500-600m, though variable, some low slope frosts at dawn; rising with time above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Much terrain in England and Scotland remains frozen as the weekend approaches. However, freezing level will be less well defined on western slopes as stable downslope flow may warm and thaw frozen ground up to middle elevations, particularly in Wales and England. Friday into the weekend sees a switch to southwesterly winds, bringing milder conditions - lifting above freezing to tops in England and Wales, and generally higher freezing levels in Scotland; periods of thawing to Munro summits will occur but also further snowfall on higher terrain during the day-to-day variability of precipitation and freezing levels. Often cloudy with periods of rain further south, most often affecting western and southern hills where cloud will be lowest and at times drizzly in the south. Often windy with upland gales.