Mountain Weather
Information Service
Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines Forecast

Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines

The entire Yorkshire Dales National Park and North Pennines AONB, including the Three Peaks and Cross Fell, plus Howgills, also south to Forest of Bowland.

Today's Forecast

Moderate breeze, locally gusty
Sunshine and showers
Chilly

Click an icon for more information or click here for a key to all icons.

Click here to download the latest PDF Last Updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM Last Updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM
View our low-graphics version Last Updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM Last Updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM

Viewing Forecast For

Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Thursday 7th May 2026
Last updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM

Summary for all mountain areas

South to southwesterly winds giving considerable chill factor over high terrain, up to gale-force over coastal northwest Highlands. Areas of showery rain, most widespread into the afternoon when some clusters of heavier rain forming. Rain generally becomes more persistent toward northwest Scotland.

Headline for Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines

Breezy. Patchy showers, locally heavier later in day.

How windy? (On the summits)

Southerly 15 to 20mph, at times 25mph higher tops, particularly North Pennines, gusty at times around showers.

Effect of the wind on you?

Fairly small, though quite blustery and feeling chilly in exposure on high terrain.

How Wet?

Showers form mostly afternoon-evening

Showery rain affecting the fells mostly into the afternoon, locally heavier showers forming later, drifting northwards, but some places may miss them completely to stay largely dry all day.

Cloud on the hills?

Likely clearing

A few early cloud banks above 600m at dawn, these soon lifting, likely above the summits much of the day. A risk of cloud banks returning to the high western tops later if heavier rain develops.

Chance of cloud free summits?

90%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Glimpses of sun. Very good visibility, may deteriorate if rain forms later.

How Cold? (at 700m)

2C rising to 8C. Directly in the wind, feeling like -3C at first, near 0C by afternoon highest tops.

And in the valleys

0 to 2C at dawn, frost in sheltered spots, rising to 12C afternoon.

Viewing Forecast For

Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Friday 8th May 2026
Last updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM

How windy? (On the summits)

Southwesterly 15-20mph, strongest Cross Fell and north, easing and becoming variable, perhaps into a lull later in day.

Effect of the wind on you?

Mostly small, though an inconvenient breeze over the tops early in the day.

How Wet?

Showers, risk frequent/heavy

Showers affect the fells on and off, risk local clusters of heavier showers afternoon, but some places escape dry.

Cloud on the hills?

Lifting off summits, odd ragged patches

Fog at various heights in the morning, but well-broken below 600m. Lifting through morning, likely to clear the summits, but some odd banks may return to high terrain fleetingly around heavier showers.

Chance of cloud free summits?

90%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Glimpses of sun. Variable visibility, very good during drier periods, may be very poor in heavier showers.

How Cold? (at 700m)

5C rising to 10C.

And in the valleys

3 or 4C at dawn, rising to 15C; may stay cooler N Pennines if rain is frequent.

Viewing Forecast For

Yorkshire Dales & North Pennines
Saturday 9th May 2026
Last updated Wed 6th May 26 at 4:26PM

How windy? (On the summits)

Northeasterly 20 to 25mph, gusty around higher tops, particularly North Pennines.

Effect of the wind on you?

Feeling rather blustery and chilly over high terrain, noticeable gusty spots, may affect balance on some ridges.

How Wet?

Risk of rain slow to fade

Some uncertainty, but a risk of rain or drizzle fairly persistent for a few hours, particularly eastern areas, may leave some rain on and off all day. Patchier westwards, but some showers may form.

Cloud on the hills?

Varied, may persist eastern areas

Risk of cloud covering higher fells fairly widely in the morning, lowest bases toward northeast Pennines where may be to mid-slopes for a few hours, and persisting over tops much of day. Breaks best westward.

Chance of cloud free summits?

50%

Sunshine and air clarity?

Largely cloudy skies. Visibility good where dry, but poor in rain, more particularly northeast areas.

How Cold? (at 700m)

3C rising to 6C, though North Pennines tops may stay cooler. Feeling near -5C if exposed to wind.

And in the valleys

6 to 8C at dawn, rising to 13C afternoon.

Planning Outlook

A notably chilly outlook for May into the weekend and early next week, with higher Scottish mountains almost continuously below freezing point possibly onward through much of next week as northwesterly air prevails. After a warmer end to this week, higher tops in England and Wales also dropping intermittently to freezing point from the weekend onward. Wind-speed varying day-to-day, but prepare for often considerable chill-factor on all mountains. Some frost overnight into valleys when skies are clear. Broadly showery through mid-May, plus some fronts bringing persistent rain most common in northwestern Scotland, often falling as snow on mountain tops, sometimes to below 600m. Drier intervals too, some days with fewer showers and broken cloud lifting above the summits, varying locally day-to-day.