Southern Uplands
The Galloway hills eastward to the Lammermuir hills. The Cheviots (including higher hills within the adjacent Northumberland NP).
Wednesday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
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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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
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.
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
Wednesday 31st December 2025
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Much terrain frozen, frost into valleys and glens in the morning, all day out of sunlight, but temperature and freezing level tending to lift toward 800m from west. Showery rain and hill snow moving into W-NW Scotland. Wind strengthening, becoming gales over tops in Scotland during day, then N England after dark.
Headline for Southern Uplands
Strengthening wind. Cloudy west, largely dry day.
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly backing westerly 15 to 25mph, increasing to 25 to 35mph through the day, 40mph onto tops into evening and night.
Effect of the wind on you?
Be prepared for increasingly blustery conditions with considerable wind chill and buffeting.
How Wet?
Mostly dry during day, rain/hill snow later
Dry much of day, risk patchy showers Galloway hills afternoon, snow flurries on upper slopes, becoming more frequent into evening and night, a band of rain and hill snow more widely toward midnight moving southward.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowering onto hills from west.
Hills starting clear, but increasingly low cloud will move in from the west to cover upper slopes or tops near and west of M74 above 700m. Eastern hills clearer for much of daytime, some patches on tops later.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80% at first, lowering to 30% in west, 60% in east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bright start with sun through high cloud, but cloud building from west. Visibility mostly very good or excellent, reducing locally in showers in west.
How Cold? (at 750m)
Around -1C, perhaps plus 1C later. Feeling closer to -8C in the strongest winds afternoon.
Freezing Level
All levels in morning, well below freezing with widespread frost into valleys, but lifting to 500-600m, reaching 800m by evening.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Thursday 1st January 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the summits)
Northwesterly 30 to 45mph, strongest on higher Cheviots.
Effect of the wind on you?
Strenuous walking, frequent buffeting in exposure higher up. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Scattered snow showers mostly west
A few showers mostly Galloway hills, coming inland from northwest, falling as snow or hail, or rain below 300-400m. Often dry toward and east of M74, rare brief showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Occasional patches mostly west
Patches moving onto higher slopes in Galloway mostly above 700m, rarely grazing higher tops elsewhere.
Chance of cloud free summits?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sunshine. Visibility very good, locally reduced in showers.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-1 or -2C. Wind chill feeling like -10 to -15C.
Freezing Level
400 to 600m, highest toward Galloway. Into night dropping sub-zero to lower slopes.
Viewing Forecast For
Southern Uplands
Friday 2nd January 2026
Last updated
Tue 30th Dec 25 at
4:28PM
How windy? (On the summits)
North-northwesterly 25 to 40mph, squally gusts in showers, often strongest on Cheviots.
Effect of the wind on you?
Significant wind chill over the hills. Strenuous walking in exposure on higher terrain.
How Wet?
Rare if any snow showers
Isolated snow and hail showers mostly confined to areas nearest coasts.
Cloud on the hills?
Little if any
Patches clipping some high tops occasionally, mainly western hills in Galloway.
Chance of cloud free summits?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly sunny, some cloud toward coasts. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 750m)
-3 or -4C. Wind chill feeling like -15C on tops.
Freezing Level
Most terrain frozen, barely rising above zero inland valleys; just above freezing up to 300-400m nearest coasts.
Planning Outlook
Significantly cold wintry conditions into the start of January. Air temperature well below freezing on high terrain, plus low minima into many glens and valleys with sustained hard frost. Strong northerly winds later this week giving severe wind chill. Frequent and heavy snow showers moving into northern areas and running down coastal extremities with significant accumulations. Elsewhere, lots of dry and sunny weather, although occasional organised bands of snow will feed south at times in the Arctic airflow. Staying cold into next week with scope for snowfalls more widely.