A drystone wall leading up a hill in the Yorkshire Dales.
Mountain weather

Yorkshire Dales Mountain weather forecast table

Confidence

High for generally unsettled conditions with a transition to milder weather later in the week, low for the details.

Sunrise:
Sunset:
Mountain hazards

Mountain weather hazards

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

hazard Severe Chill Effect
Wind significantly lowers the ‘feels-like’ temperature relative to the actual temperature, with even moderate winds significantly adding to the chilling effect. Strong winds can result in a severe and debilitating wind chill many degrees below the actual temperature. This effect will be enhanced in rain or wet snow. Without protection, prolonged exposure could result in frost nip or frostbite on exposed parts of the body and/or hypothermia.

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 Heavy Persistent Rain
Heavy and persistent rain can lead to drenched clothing and footwear with waterproofs often becoming soaked through, especially if accompanied by strong winds. This can lead to significant loss of body heat and an increased likelihood of hypothermia. Terrain may turn increasingly boggy underfoot while streams can flood and become impassable. There may also be a risk of flooding in valleys or glens. If there is snow cover, a heightened avalanche hazard is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.

hazard Heavy Persistent Snow
Heavy snow can lead to rapid changes in underfoot conditions and paths may become treacherous or hidden. It also brings very poor visibility and often makes navigation much more challenging. When deep snow accumulates progress is often time consuming and strenuous, significantly affecting the distance one can travel on foot. Deep drifts can develop if snow is combined with strong winds. A heightened avalanche risk is possible and avalanche reports should be consulted where available.

Mountain weather forecast

Cloudy with showers then more persistent rain and summit snow.

06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Weather
(at 600m)
Sleet Heavy snow Heavy snow Sleet Sleet Heavy snow
Chance of precipitation
(at 600m)
40% 60% 80% 80% 80% 80%

Wind direction and speed (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m NE
20
NE
20
NE
17
NE
15
NE
16
NE
16
300m NE
13
NE
14
NE
10
NE
11
NE
10
NE
10
Valley NE
17
NE
14
NE
12
NE
11
NE
10
NE
9
Wind gust (mph)
Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m 29 28 23 22 23 23
300m 29 30 22 23 22 22
Valley 36 33 28 25 23 21

Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
300m
Valley
Freezing Level
900m
900m
800m
700m
800m
800m

Altitude above mean sea level
06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
600m
-6°
-5°
-5°
-5°
-4°
-5°
300m
-2°
-1°
-1°
-2°
-1°
-1°
Valley
-2°

Additional weather information

Meteorologist's view

Nothing to add

Weather

Cloudy with a few showers overnight, falling as snow above around 200 metres at first, the snow level slowly rising top 600 metres. Cloudy through the day with showers giving way to more persistent rain and summit sleet or snow, which will be heavy at times. Little change during the evening with further rain and summit sleet or snow

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

10%

Low cloud and visibility

Broken or extensive cloud with bases 400-600 metres, locally down to 300 metres on the eastern fells. Moderate or poor visibilities.

Recent rainfall

Location: Malham
Altitude: 375m
Last 24 hoursLast 48 hoursLast 72 hours
2.4mm2.4mm3.4mm
Measurement date:

Rainfall data provided by the Environment Agency. The Met Office is not responsible for content provided by third parties and may remove this data without warning.

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Mountain weather information

Weather

Outbreaks of rain and summit snow turning more showery overnight. Cloudy through the day with showers turning lighter and more isolated, then mainly dry and cloudy during the evening.

Chance of cloud-free hill tops

20% improving 40% later..

Maximum wind speed expected

North or NE 15 gust 25 mph, slowly easing

Temperature

  • At 600m Zero decreasing minus 3 Celsius later
  • Valley Plus 2 rising to 4 Celsius
  • Freezing level 600 metres lowering to 400 metres later

Low cloud and visibility

Broken cloud base 400-600 metres, with some patches down to 300 metres over the eastern fells at first, becoming more scattered during the evening. Visibilities good, but moderate or poor in early rain or showers.

Mountain weather information

Wed 6 Dec

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Any mist or fog patches in the valleys will clear during the morning, otherwise a dry and bright day with sunny spells. East to southeast winds strengthening during the evening.

Thu 7 Dec

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, perhaps some snow over the summits at first. Strong southeasterly winds with gales over the summits. Freezing level 600 metres, soon rising above the summits.

Fri 8 Dec

Sunrise:
Sunset:

Some brighter spells, but generally a good deal of cloud with showers or longer outbreaks of rain. Winds easing, freezing level above the summits.

Updated at:

Summit specific forecast

Mountain summit forecast map

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The National Park lies within the county boundaries of historic Yorkshire with much of the landscape consisting of limestone country; lush green valleys known locally as 'dales' crested with white limestone cliffs known as 'scars'. Hidden beneath these hills and peaks is an underground world of caves and potholes with stalactites and stalagmites, cathedral sized chambers, underground rivers and waterfalls.

A gentler outlook awaits visitors in the Yorkshire Dales, compared to the much more imposing ranges of the Lake District. The tallest of the gentle rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales is Whernside, which reaches 736 metres. Known as the 'King of the Dales', Whernside may not be the tallest of mountains on offer in the UK, but still rewards those who make the journey with views that stretch for miles.

Walkers shouldn't be under the illusion that the Yorkshire Dales doesn't offer challenges for ardent mountain walkers. Instead, a 'Three Peaks Challenge', which takes in Whernside, Ingelborough and Pen-y-Ghent, sees walkers cover over 23 miles and almost 1,600 metres of ascent. The record for completing all three currently stands at around two and a half hours.