Brecon Beacons
Includes all higher summits in the southern half of Wales: the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park, southern Cambrian Mountains and highest Preseli hills.
Friday'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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
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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.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Whiteout
Fog and lying snow over the mountains, possibly with falling or blowing snow, very disorientating. Map and compass essential, beware of unseen hazards.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Snowdrifts
Considerable lying snow over the mountains, with substantial drifting in places.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Friday 9th January 2026
Last updated
Thu 8th Jan 26 at
4:10PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Patchy snowfall and low cloud over the eastern Highlands & N/E Pennines, little if any reaching western Scotland where hills will be clearer, some low-level fog. Extensive fresh snow cover for Wales and Peak District, residual flurries fade, but wind remains strong; showers with hail near west coast of Wales.
Headline for Brecon Beacons
Windy, gales on tops. Local showers, extensive lying snow.
How windy? (On the summits)
North to northwesterly 35 to 40mph, over 50mph up to dawn at least for eastern tops; peak speeds easing marginally during the daytime.
Effect of the wind on you?
Considerable wind chill and challenging conditions particularly morning, affecting ease of walking all day on exposed terrain.
How Wet?
Snowfall fading, showers with hail
Expect considerable fresh lying snow from valleys upward inland following overnight falls, substantial drifts in places. Continuing light snow into the morning, turning to sleet or rain lower slopes, becoming showers mostly in west, some heavy with hail, plus snow over hills above 400-500m, tending to fade afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive, rising with breaks
Shrouding most higher areas in the morning, banks of cloud mid-slopes up in places. Tending to lift to upper slopes, some breaks forming, best south/east.
Chance of cloud free summits?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, rare if any sun due to a veil of high cloud. Difficult navigation if in fog over snow cover and if snow blows around; visibility improves with time away from showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1 or -2C. Feeling near/below -10C if exposed to stronger winds.
Freezing Level
500 to 600m, but terrain partly frozen into many valleys inland in the morning, where snow cover persists.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Saturday 10th January 2026
Last updated
Thu 8th Jan 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North-northwesterly 15 to 25mph, strongest eastern hills in morning, likely to ease and shift west later southwesterly.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but risk noticeable wind chill in exposure on hills.
How Wet?
Rare showers
Risk of occasional light showers mostly west coast hills, spots of rain, snow flurries if above 500m.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly little
Fragments of cloud around some slopes and tops, but many hills often clear. Some mist possible into valleys.
Chance of cloud free summits?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mix of cloud and sun. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1C. Feeling like -7C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
Much terrain frozen inland, frost into valleys in morning; then 500m, up to 600-700m nearest the west coast.
Viewing Forecast For
Brecon Beacons
Sunday 11th January 2026
Last updated
Thu 8th Jan 26 at
4:10PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southerly, strengthening rapidly up to dawn, in range 40 to 50mph much of daytime, at times 60mph high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions with frequent buffeting and powerful gusts to some lower slopes, significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow soon heavy rain
Snow briefly over the hills, moving in quickly, possibly freezing rain for a time, soon becoming sleet then all rain up to higher slopes, setting in widely heavy, particularly south & western hills.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding the hills widely, to lower slopes many south and western areas, higher bases into eastern mid-Wales.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and mostly dull. Visibility generally very poor.
How Cold? (at 750m)
0C rising toward +6C, small variation of temperature with height. Wind chill feeling like -7 to -12C.
Freezing Level
400 to 600m up to dawn, partly frozen into inland valleys; rising variably but perhaps quickly above freezing to high tops.
Planning Outlook
Terrain stays widely frozen away from coastal slopes this weekend, fresh extensive snow for Wales and Peak District, whilst substantial snow remains across Scottish mountains. By Sunday, southerly winds strengthen to gales - as a frontal system approaches, snow then freezing rain is likely. A rise of freezing level from the southwest - thawing develops, rising just above freezing toward all higher slopes; in England and Wales much snow will thaw - here only occasionally near freezing on highest tops in the week ahead. In Scotland next week, higher mountains often near or below freezing at 800-1000m upward. A mix of rain and high-level snowfall, often windy through mid-month.