Dartmoor mountain weather forecast.

The high moor and tors. Height-aware guidance for wind, cloud, rain and temperature.

Mountain Weather brief

Dartmoor

Saturday 29 August 2026 · The high moor and tors

Confidence: Medium

Why: Thunderstorm timing is inherently uncertain and may shift by several hours.

What matters most

Thunderstorms are the main concern, especially on exposed summits and ridges. A blustery southwesterly wind and Persistent rain.

High-ground wind · 500 m25–30 mph southwesterly Gusts · 500 m40 mph Cloud base400-700 m Feels like · 500 m10°C
Morning · 07:00–13:00PoorSome early summit cloud is possible.
26/100
Afternoon & evening · 13:00–22:00PoorSummit breaks should improve later.
37/100

Conservative regional grades across representative summits, so one sheltered hill does not overstate the wider area.

01

High-ground wind (500 m)

Southwesterly 25-30 mph at 500 m. Gusts reaching around 40 mph at 500 m, with locally higher values possible on the most exposed tops. Starting nearer 15 mph, then strengthening toward 20 mph later.

02

Walking impact

Blustery on exposed ridges and liable to affect balance at times.

03

Thunderstorms

A moderate thunderstorm risk is indicated from early morning into the afternoon. Avoid committing to exposed summits or ridges while storms are building or nearby.

04

Ground conditions

The ground is likely to be wet after recent rain.

05

Spate risk

High spate risk based on forecast rainfall. Burns and unbridged crossings may become difficult or impassable. The heaviest rain is expected early in the day. Crossing risk is expected throughout the day, continuing overnight and easing after around 04:00 the following morning. Turn back if a crossing looks unsafe.

06

Rain and showers

Persistent rain for much of the day. The heaviest rain is expected early in the day.

07

Cloud-free summits

Around 60%. Around 50% early, improving to around 65% later.

08

Cloud and visibility

Cloud bases mostly around 400-700 m. Summit breaks should become more frequent later. Cloud is likely to come and go on the higher summits; breaks may be useful but not dependable.

09

Temperature and wind chill

Around 14°C at 500 m, feeling like 10°C in the wind.

10

Freezing level

Above the summits.

11

Daylight

Sunrise 06:24 — Sunset 20:07 — about 13.7 hours daylight.

Overnight · 6 p.m.–9 a.m.Wild campingBetaThunder risk is around 40% in parts of the area; avoid exposed pitches if storms develop. 55/100Mixed · 300 m View detailsHide details
Regional night beginning Saturday 29 August 2026

Full regional overnight outlook

Across representative hills, open-hillside camping looks mixed around 300 m (55/100). Some overnight rain is likely, so expect a damp pitch or pack-up.

Overnight rain3.6 mmOpen ground · 300 m12 mph · gusts 26 mphMorning pack-upDampness possible
300 m55/100 · mixed
Wind / gust
12 / 26 mph
Coldest
12.9°C
In cloud
Unlikely
Condensation
High

Open-hillside guidance across representative hills. Local shelter, ridges, tent design and the exact pitch can change conditions substantially. How to use the wild-camping forecast.

Daytime · exposed rockClimbing & scramblingBetaThunder risk is around 40% in parts of the area; exposed scrambling may be a poor choice. 0/100Poor · Very poor View detailsHide details
Across representative exposed-rock terrain

Full regional climbing & scrambling outlook

Conditions for exposed scrambling across the area look very poor (0/100). Rain is likely to leave rock wet; polished slabs, vegetation and drainage lines may be notably worse. Gusts may reach about 35 mph on exposed ground, making crosswinds an important route consideration. Mapped summit-point geology across the representative hills includes granite, gneiss or gabbro; moisture response can therefore vary substantially between crags and routes.

Rock surfaceWet rock likelyExposed gust37 mphRain9.9 mm
Mapped rock across sampled summits1 broad familyRepresentative summit samples
granite, gneiss or gabbro 100% 5 representative summitsGenerally grippy when dry and often still positive when damp, but wet slabs, lichen, polish and drainage lines can remain slippery.

Representative summit-point samples across the region; individual crags and routes may differ.

Generic exposed hands-on-rock terrain across representative summits; mapped summit-point geology is a broad regional sample, not a named-route survey. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026. How to use the climbing and scrambling forecast.

Updated 29 August 2026 at 04:40 UTC. See typical weekly and monthly conditions for Dartmoor.

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