[Andy Mayhew]

Mountain Forecast – Issued Thursday 9th February 2012

A rather dull, cloudy weekend but fairly mild in most upland areas

General Situation:

High pressure over the British Isles with a feed of cold air off the continent into southeastern parts but most upland areas under milder Atlantic air. Embedded fronts within the high pressure mean a lot of cloud around, with higher summits often obscured and hill fog to lower levels at times. Some patchy light rain or sleet. The far north probably brightest. Winds initially light but strengthening in the Highlands on Sunday as the high pressure moves away southwestwards and initially northwesterly winds move in. Early next week sees a block of high pressure in the Atlantic, low pressure working southwards down across Scandinavia into Europe and a feed of progressively colder air from the north pushing down over Britain, bringing an increased risk of snow showers to the north and east.

The Weekend in Detail:

Saturday 11th February - A cloudy day across all upland areas. Hill fog to lower levels especially across Wales and northern England (including Snowdonia and the Lake District), with some patchy light rain or sleet, snow over summits. Becoming mostly dry in the Highlands but some light rain possible over hills in Argyll and Perthshire to start with. Turning a bit brighter in the north later in the day with the best chance of some sunshine and cloud free summits from Torridon northwards in the afternoon. Freezing level above most summits in the Highlands, and a mild day for February here, but much lower across the Southern Pennines, Peak District and eastern parts of Wales where it looks like being another very cold day.

Sunday 12th February - A similar cloudy day but although still some hill fog around, and some patchy light rain or sleet possible across Wale and the Southern Uplands, it should for the most part be drier and a bit brighter with cloud levels higher. Best chance of summits becoming clear across the North and East Highlands, as cloud here becomes more broken. Freezing level rising above most summits in all parts and therefore feeling milder across hills in northern England and Wales, with a slow thaw of snow cover setting in. Southwesterly winds starting to strengthen in the North and West Highlands later in the day.

Further Outlook:

Monday will see rain spread from the northwest down across most parts, with wind then turning more northerly and by midweek wintry showers likely across the north and east Highlands and down into northeastern parts of England, but brighter, drier, weather towards the south and west. It looks like high pressure will stay to our west or southwest through into next weekend with north or northwesterly winds predominating and wintry showers at times, particulalry across the Highlands. However, as has been the case for the past couple of week, there remains a fair bit of uncertainty.


For the latest daily weather update covering most upland regions of Britain, more please visit The Mountain Weather Information Service website provided by Geoff Monk.

Met Office Mountain Forecasts are also available for the Highlands, Lake District, Peak District and Wales.

Avalanche news for the Highlands is provided by SAIS


Note: this is a personal interpretation of likely weather conditions on the UK hills and is intended for general guidance purposes only. Local conditions may vary and changes may occur suddenly and without warning. Extreme caution should always be exercised when venturing into the hills

TOI 11.15 GMT – 9th February 2012

Forecast by Andy Mayhew for Ukww

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