Southern Uplands
The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).
Monday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
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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.
Snow flurries
Occasional light snow flurries, sleet or rain lower elevations. Amounts little more than nuisance value, but locally more persistent and reducing visibility for periods.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Monday 26th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gale-force and very gusty southeasterly winds Scottish mountains, tending to strengthen. Patchy snow and low cloud affects the eastern Highlands; largely dry and clearer toward west/northwest. Some cloud breaks for the Lakes. Rain and upland gales moves into Wales from the west in the afternoon.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Windy. Varied low cloud, light snow/rain mainly east.
How windy? (On the summits)
East-southeasterly 30-35mph, reaching 40mph particularly over western tops, strengthening further around/after dusk, 50mph in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Walking strenuous with notable buffeting in exposure frequently challenging stability. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Patchy sleet/snow east, later west
Showery sleet and snow affecting the Cheviots and eastern Borders through the day, patches further east as well but amounting to little. Largely dry west of the M74, but rain and hill snow quickly arrives from southwest after dark.
Cloud on the hills?
Shrouding high terrain, middle slopes east
High terrain under fog most or all day, lowest bases in the eastern Borders and Cheviots, 300-500m, lowest in precipitation. Bases lowering too in Galloway at times. May lift towards 700m on northern slopes.
Chance of cloud free summits?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright moments towards Ayrshire where visibility good, but otherwise cloudy. Visibility moderate or poor at times eastern hills.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1 or -2C. Feeling like -12 to -15C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
400-600m, some local variation, typically higher in western areas.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Tuesday 27th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the summits)
East-southeasterly 50 to 70mph. Powerful gusts downslope in places.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mobility tortuous on most terrain, likely requires crouching or crawling in strongest gusts. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow sets in fairly widely
Upland snow soon widespread and persistent early morning, likely continuing for much of afternoon. Heaviest falls on southern and eastern slopes. Rain or sleet below 300-400m, higher afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive
Summits likely in cloud most or all day, the lowest bases on southern and eastern hills early, then more widely to middle slopes as snow sets in. Slopes towards the Central Belt may see odd higher breaks.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull. Visibility very poor, appalling on high terrain in blowing snow.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-2 or -1C, rising to 0 or +1C later. Feeling like -20C in strongest wind.
Freezing Level
400-500m, then later in day a variable rise toward upper slopes 700-800m.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Wednesday 28th January 2026
Last updated
Sun 25th Jan 26 at
4:15PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southeasterly 35 to 50mph, strongest in west - speed likely to vary during day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Arduous walking conditions, very gusty in places around western hills. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Locally damp
Risk rain on and off Galloway, some snow flurries higher tops. Some fine drizzle where in cloud elsewhere.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, breaks forming
Covering many hills in morning, to lower slopes southern areas. Breaks forming with time, best further northwards.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, may become brighter afternoon with some sun toward north. Misty, becoming better visibility with time.
How Cold? (at 750m)
0C rising to 2C. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -13C.
Freezing Level
700 to 800m, rising just above freezing to higher summits during daytime.
Planning Outlook
Powerful southeasterlies prevail across Scotland this week and many indications favour strong east or southeasterly winds onward into the first half of February. Scottish mountains are expected stay below freezing in the extended range, fresh heavy snowfalls giving substantial depths and drifts across south and eastern areas, much less snow northwestward. Hills in England and Wales will see varying freezing levels, sub-zero for periods to 600m or lower, but intermittently lifting just above the tops - a mix of rain and upland snowfall. A generally unsettled pattern with Atlantic lows continuing to frequently circulate over Britain on a southerly track, whilst high pressure resides away to the north.