Mountain Weather
Information Service
Lake District Forecast

Lake District

The entire Lake District National Park, taking in all major summits, including Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw, the Langdales and Old Man of Coniston.

Thursday's Forecast

Windy, walking impeded
Frequent or persistent rain
Poor visibility
Cool to mild

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Click here to download the latest PDF Last Updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM Last Updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM
View our low-graphics version Last Updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM Last Updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM

Viewing Forecast For

Lake District
Thursday 3rd September 2026
Last updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM

Summary for all mountain areas

Strong to gale-force winds over high terrain. A lot of cloud, shrouding all western hills, plus patchy rain and drizzle, becoming heavier persistent falls in the west later; a swathe of more intense rain develops for southwest Scotland into northwest England by evening, later into north Wales.

Headline for Lake District

Windy; cloudy with some rain, sustained heavy falls later.

How windy? (On the summits)

Southwesterly 25-40mph, variable, and may ease for a time, but a swathe of stronger wind returns late/into night.

Effect of the wind on you?

Walking impeded, strenuous moments with notable wind chill; brief improvement, but deteriorating late/into night.

How Wet?

Patchy rain and drizzle, setting in heavy later

Patchy rain drifts from the west much of the day, some early drizzle on high terrain. Falls generally light, and best of dry windows on east fells. Later afternoon onward into evening, rain sets in persistently and increasingly heavy, sustained heavy-to-torrential falls onward into night.

Cloud on the hills?

Fairly extensive, locally improving

Extensive to start, to middle slopes widely and low slopes to the west. Bases will lift, best near and northeast of Helvellyn, a rising chance of breaks to tops here. Staying fairly extensive above 600m south and west Lakeland, to some lower elevations nearer the coasts; then more widely filling in again later.

Chance of cloud free summits?

10% south and west, 30% northeast.

Sunshine and air clarity?

A few bright glimpses on northeastern fells, but more often cloudy. Good visibility if out of cloud; hazy or mistier towards coasts.

How Cold? (at 750m)

10 or 11C; quite humid. Feeling just above freezing in strongest wind.

Freezing Level

Above the summits.

Viewing Forecast For

Lake District
Friday 4th September 2026
Last updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM

How windy? (On the summits)

West-southwesterly 35 to 50mph, stronger gusts to 60mph at times higher fells, more often afternoon.

Effect of the wind on you?

Arduous walking conditions, frequent buffeting knocking you off balance on exposed terrain. Considerable wind chill.

How Wet?

Rain on and off

Overnight heavy rain clears southward by dawn, leaving it very wet underfoot and streams in spate. Patchy rain and drizzle likely to come and go, most frequent in western Lakes, some heavier showery rain mainly afternoon.

Cloud on the hills?

Varying over tops

Cloud banks likely to often cap higher fells particularly in western areas above 700-800m, some higher bases afternoon, but varying around rain, may fill in again.

Chance of cloud free summits?

30% west, to 60% east.

Sunshine and air clarity?

Fairly cloudy, glimpses of sun mostly east. Visibility often good, but reduced at times in rain, mostly in west.

How Cold? (at 750m)

8 or 9C, little change all day. Directly in wind feeling like -3C.

Freezing Level

Above the summits.

Viewing Forecast For

Lake District
Saturday 5th September 2026
Last updated Wed 2nd Sep 26 at 4:30PM

How windy? (On the summits)

Westerly 30mph at dawn, easing during morning, to 15-20mph afternoon, turning SW'ly; rising dusk onward to 40-50mph.

Effect of the wind on you?

Blustery and chilly start, lessening to be fairly small. Then deteriorating late in day onward into night.

How Wet?

Some light showers

Brief light showers mainly western fells early in the day, fading out. Evening onward, risk of some rain extending in from the southwest.

Cloud on the hills?

Mostly clearing

Patchy cloud over some slopes above 700m early morning, mainly west Lakes. Lifting above 900m by late morning and often clear of all tops afternoon.

Chance of cloud free summits?

70%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Glimpses of sun in morning; high cloud tending to thicken afternoon. Visibility very good.

How Cold? (at 750m)

8C rising to 11C afternoon, little change or rising a degree or so higher evening/night. Feeling near/below 0C in wind at first.

Freezing Level

Above the summits.

Planning Outlook

A series of weather systems moves in from the Atlantic over the next 10 days to bring spells of rain and showers, accompanied by frequently strong to gale force mountain winds. A window of better weather is likely on Saturday for Scotland and northern England, but further rain is expected to move in from the southwest by Saturday night and Sunday, heaviest western Scotland; a risk of more powerful upland gales developing over Scotland into Sunday. Temperatures will vary, mildest toward the south, but some cooler air moves in from the north at times bringing higher Scottish tops close to freezing point.