Lake District
The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.
Wednesday's Forecast
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Wednesday 11th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold strong westerly winds, gales over Scottish mountains and more widely early in day, significant chill factor over mountains. Showery snow and hail most frequent W & NW Highlands, more scattered elsewhere. Cloud base varying, occasional sun.
Headline for Lake District
Windy, gales at first. Showers with hail, snow tops.
How windy? (On the summits)
Westerly up to 50mph post dawn; through day dropping slowly, typically 35mph middle of day. Increasing again into night, reaching 70mph, stronger gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Expect significant wind chill and walking to be arduous or difficult particularly morning. Deteriorating again to severe gales onward into night.
How Wet?
Hail and snow showers easing
Mainly morning, succession of sudden hail and above 700m snow showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensively covering higher areas
In precipitation, cloud forming below 400 to 500m lowest in morning in west. Otherwise, by midday (as average cloud base tends to rise) between 600 and 900m, generally highest on easternmost summits.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of sunshine, mainly afternoon lower slopes. Visibility mostly very good although slight haze. Temporarily appalling in snow.
How Cold? (at 750m)
1C during day, then rising to 4C into night. Will feel like -10C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
900m, then rising onward into night above the highest tops.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Thursday 12th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Southwesterly 50 to 65mph, top speeds more likely in the morning.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions over the fells, any mobility challenging in exposure higher up, particularly morning. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Persistent heavy rain setting in
Often raining from dawn, mostly south and west, setting in widely and heavy with time. Intense bursts of rain likely with a risk of thunder. May begin to fall as snow on the tops late in the day.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive
Shrouding the fells widely, from lower elevations upward toward south and west. Higher bases to the east at first, but lowering here too as rain sets in.
Chance of cloud free summits?
10%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast and dull most of day, but may become brighter later from north. Poor visibility, possibly improving later.
How Cold? (at 750m)
4C, then late in day likely to drop to 0C, lowering further overnight. Wind chill feeling like -8 to -12C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits possibly much of the day, but dropping toward 800m later, then lower into night.
Viewing Forecast For
Lake District
Friday 13th March 2026
Last updated
Tue 10th Mar 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the summits)
West to southwesterly 35 to 45mph, likely strongest in the morning, squally gusts around showers.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions over exposed higher terrain, considerable buffeting and significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Hail and snow showers, risk thunder
Showers with hail merging into periods of constant precipitation at times on more western fells; snow falling toward lower elevations in morning, then mostly rain below 400-500m. Risk isolated lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Mostly higher tops, more varied west
Cloud base frequently changing: at times shafts of cloud to 600m or lower near coast, often capping western fells above 800m, but some breaks to the higher tops, more often eastwards.
Chance of cloud free summits?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Brief bursts of sun, most often in east. Visibility varying between intermittently very good, and at least briefly appalling when in snow/hail and cloud.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-2C rising to around 0C afternoon. Feeling like -12 to -15C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
400m from dawn, rising to 600-700m into afternoon, slightly higher
Planning Outlook
Generally unsettled onward into the upcoming weekend and start of next week as low pressure systems pass near and north of Britain - strong west or southwesterly winds prevail, often gale-force to at times storm-force over the mountains. Some fluctuation of temperature and freezing level, but mostly below freezing over Scottish mountains, at times snow falling to lower elevations. Colder for all by the end of this week with widely lowering freezing level by Friday. Frequent precipitation most western mountains, accumulations of snow across the mountains, most substantial in western Scotland from Glencoe northwards. Quieter weather patterns indicated beyond mid-month as higher pressure builds.



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