Mountain weather

Mourne Mountains

Mourne Mountains Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for showery weather on Friday and Saturday. Low for extent of any drier weather on Sunday and early next week.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

Hazards apply at or above 300m, reflecting the more severe conditions which can occur at altitude.

hazard Poor Visibility
Poor visibility presents challenging route finding conditions. Visibility could be significantly less than 50 metres in all directions with few or no visual references, especially on featureless moors or plateaux. Distances become hard to judge and cliff or cornice edges can be difficult to recognise. These conditions require good navigational skills. There is a risk of white-out conditions when mist or fog is combined with extensive snow cover.
hazard Thunderstorms
Lightning is a significant mountain hazard which can result in serious injury or death. Mountain terrain often leaves one highly exposed to lightning strikes. Hail may give unpleasant conditions with torrential rain and localised flash flooding also possible, mainly in Summer months.
hazard Strong Sunlight
Harmful UV levels from sunlight increase with altitude giving a greater risk of sunburn and eye damage, even on some overcast days. On breezy days, the cooling effect of wind on exposed skin may disguise any feeling of sunburn until it is too late. If there is snow cover, glare increases the effect of UV rays especially on the eyes. It is advisable to wear sun block, protective clothing such as a long-sleeved top and hat and have good quality eye protection.

Mountain weather forecast

Bright and cold with a chance of afternoon wintry showers

06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 700m)
Cloudy Sunny intervals Sunny intervals Heavy shower (day) Sunny intervals Partly cloudy (night)
Chance of precipitation
(at 700m)
<05% 20% 20% 40% 20% 20%

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m SE
12
S
13
S
14
S
16
S
15
S
20
300m E
6
SE
5
S
9
S
10
S
6
S
8
Valley E
5
SE
5
S
8
S
10
S
5
S
7
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m 16 17 20 23 20 28
300m 9 10 15 17 12 17
Valley 9 10 14 17 11 16

Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
300m
Valley
Freezing Level
800m
1,000m
900m
1,000m
1,100m
1,100m

Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
-2°
-3°
-2°
-2°
-1°
-2°
300m
Valley

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Brisk summit winds will make for notable wind chill

Weather

Overnight mist and low cloud burning off by mid-morning, then the rest of the day will be bright. Chance of a passing rain or sleet shower this afternoon with a risk of some thunder.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

70%

Low cloud and visibility

Poor in any early mist and low cloud below 300 metres. Otherwise very good visibility with patchy cloud down to 750 metres as any showers pass by.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Dry with some sunshine in the morning. Clouding over at times in the afternoon with the chance of a brief shower, wintry on the highest tops. Strong, cold southerly summits winds.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

80%

Maximum wind speed expected

Southerly 30 mph on the tops, quite gusty as any showers pass by

Temperature

  • At 700m Plus 4 Celsius
  • Valley 0 rising to 12 Celsius
  • Freezing level Above summits

Low cloud and visibility

Very good visibility with cloud largely above summits, but some patchy cloud down to 900 metres as any showers pass by

Mountain weather information

Sun 31 Mar

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mainly dry although often cloudy, chance of a passing shower. Brisk, cold southeasterly winds. Freezing level above summits.

Mon 1 Apr

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Low confidence but currently expected to be dry. Brisk southeasterly summits winds. Freezing level above summits.

Tue 2 Apr

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Unsettled with a chance of showers, possibly heavy. Brisk southerly summit winds. Freezing level above summits.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

Loading map…

The Mourne Mountains include the highest mountains in Northern Ireland; the highest of these is Slieve Donard standing at 850 metres at the northeastern edge of the Mournes, overlooking Newcastle and Dundrum Bay. At the summit of Slieve Donard there is a cairn and a small stone tower, which is part of the Mourne Wall, which passes over the mountain’s southern and western shoulders.

The Mourne Wall is a 35 kilometre dry stone wall that crosses fifteen summits, constructed between 1904 and 1922 by the Belfast Water Commissioners to define and enclose the catchment area for the newly constructed Silent Valley Reservoir.v