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Scafell Pike, Cumbria

54.45°N, 3.21°W · ~956m · 06:59 – 19:09
Updated 08:40
Temp
8°C
↓ 1.2 / 1hr
Wind
8.1
↑ 3.8 / 1hr
Condition
Heavy rain
Heavy rain
Score
4.8
Fair
Time
Condition
Precip mm
Precip %
Temp
Temp °C
Feels °C
Wind
Direction
Wind mph
Gust mph
Detail
Humidity %
Pressure
Vis km
UV Index
CAPE J/kg
Score
Wed 23 Sep Thu 24 Sep Fri 25 Sep Sat 26 Sep Sun 27 Sep Mon 28 Sep Tue 29 Sep Wed 30 Sep
08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00
Heavy rain Light drizzle Light drizzle Overcast Mostly sunny Sunny intervals Mostly sunny Sunny intervals Sunny intervals Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Mostly clear near sunset Clear Clear Partly cloudy Clear Clear Clear Clear Clear Mostly clear Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly clear Overcast Sun through high cloud Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Overcast Overcast Overcast Fog Fog Fog Fog Fog Light drizzle Light drizzle Moderate drizzle Heavy rain Moderate rain Moderate rain Dense drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Moderate drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Mostly cloudy Partly cloudy Mostly clear Clear Clear Clear Light drizzle with clear spells Light drizzle with clear spells Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Mostly clear near sunset Light drizzle with clear spells Light drizzle with clear spells Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Overcast Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Light drizzle Overcast Overcast Fog Fog Fog Fog Clear around sunrise Sunny Sunny Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Sunny intervals Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Sunny Sunny Clear near sunset Clear Clear Mostly clear Mostly clear Clear Clear Clear Mostly clear Mostly clear Partly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Overcast Overcast Overcast Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy Partly cloudy
5.3 0.3 0.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.1 0.1 0.9 4 3.6 2.1 1.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 - - - 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 - - - - - - - - - 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
100% 100% 100% 40% 5% 25% 5% 10% 10% 5% 10% 0% 0% 0% 10% 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 5% 0% 10% 10% 25% 30% 20% 20% 15% 10% 15% 30% 35% 35% 35% 35% 35% 40% 95% 95% 95% 100% 100% 100% 100% 80% 80% 80% 75% 70% 80% 85% 85% 85% 90% 30% 30% 25% 25% 25% 25% 20% 20% 15% 15% 10% 20% 75% 80% 85% 85% 90% 90% 85% 75% 70% 70% 70% 70% 25% 10% 15% 70% 80% 85% 85% 85% 85% 85% 90% 90% 95% 95% 95% 45% 35% 35% 30% 20% 15% 10% 10% 5% 60% 70% 75% 85% 90% 90% 85% 85% 80% 35% 35% 35% 30% 20% 20% 20% 0% 0% 0% 5% 5% 5% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 25% 30% 20% 20% 20% 25% 30% 30% 35% 35% 35% 35% 35% 25% 15% 15% 10% 10% 10% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15%
 
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WNW NW NW NNW NNW NW NW NW NW NW NNW NNW NNW NNW NNW NNW N NNE ESE SE SSE SE SSE SSE SSE SSE S S S S SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SW SSW SW SSW SW WNW WNW NW NW WNW WSW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW S S S S SSE SSE S S S S SSW S S S SSW SSW SSW SSW SSW SW SW WSW W WSW SW SSW S S SSE S S SSW SSW SW SW SW SSW SSW WSW NW NNE NE ENE E ESE ESE SE SE SE SE SE SE ESE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE ESE SE SE SE SE SE
8 12 10 11 15 16 15 14 13 13 12 9 8 7 5 4 5 3 2 5 7 8 9 13 14 16 17 19 19 17 18 19 20 18 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 19 19 20 7 10 7 8 5 2 2 4 7 9 10 9 9 7 6 4 4 4 4 5 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 12 13 13 13 13 14 15 15 14 12 11 11 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 13 12 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 16 14 12 10 9 9 8 6 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 10 12 13 15 15 16 15 15 14 13 13 12 12 12 12 12
17 25 23 24 32 32 31 29 27 26 26 20 19 18 13 11 11 8 7 12 16 17 18 26 28 33 34 37 35 33 34 36 38 35 38 37 37 35 36 35 36 37 38 39 15 20 16 18 11 5 5 9 13 17 18 18 17 14 11 9 8 8 9 11 13 16 17 17 17 17 17 17 19 22 24 25 26 26 27 28 28 26 23 21 21 21 22 23 24 24 24 24 23 23 23 23 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 32 30 27 22 18 17 17 15 11 6 2 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 8 9 9 9 9 7 5 3 3 3 4 6 7 9 10 12 13 15 17 19 21 23 26 28 30 31 32 32 32 31 31 30 30 29 29 28 28
 
100 100 100 99 87 88 73 75 75 71 77 79 81 84 86 87 86 83 82 77 78 79 77 80 84 83 94 93 91 88 83 79 87 89 98 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 96 88 93 91 89 85 87 89 91 93 94 95 95 95 95 94 94 93 93 92 91 90 90 92 95 96 95 93 91 90 89 87 84 81 80 83 88 92 94 94 95 96 96 96 96 96 96 97 98 98 98 98 95 88 80 73 69 68 69 74 82 88 92 95 97 98 98 98 99 99 100 100 100 100 93 83 75 70 67 64 60 57 57 63 73 82 88 93 97 93 96 97 98 98 98 97 96 95 93 91 89 86 84 83 83 83 84 85 85 86 86 87 87 87 87
911 912 912 912 913 913 914 914 914 914 914 914 914 915 915 915 915 915 914 914 914 913 913 912 912 912 912 911 911 911 910 910 909 909 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 907 907 908 908 908 908 908 908 909 909 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 908 907 907 907 907 907 907 907 908 908 909 909 909 909 909 909 909 909 908 908 908 908 908 908 907 907 906 906 905 905 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 903 903 903 903 903 903 903 903 903 903 902 902 902 902 902 903 904 905 906 906 907 907 907 907 907 907 906 906 905 905 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 904 905 905 905 905 905 905 904 904 903 902 902 901 901 900 900 899
1.7 0.1 0.1 16.7 27.3 21 34.6 32.9 34.7 40.4 39.5 39.2 38.6 37.2 35.6 34.9 35.4 43.4 44.2 44.2 41.5 39.6 40.2 39.2 32.7 25.6 14.5 13.7 14.5 18.1 20.6 25.8 22.6 25.3 11.6 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0 0 0 0.1 0.5 2.7 16.8 41.8 24.5 16.4 19.9 17.5 12.3 7.2 6.8 6.4 6.1 9.5 12.9 16.3 16.6 16.9 17.2 17.9 18.5 19.2 18.5 17.8 17.1 14.1 11 8 7.5 6.9 6.4 8.3 10.2 12.1 14.7 17.3 19.9 18 16.2 14.3 14.9 15.5 16.1 13.3 10.4 7.5 6.8 6.1 5.4 5.7 6.1 6.4 9.5 12.6 15.8 18.5 21.3 24.1 24.3 24.5 24.6 18.5 12.4 6.3 5.5 4.7 3.9 6.5 9 11.5 7.8 4 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 8.3 16.5 24.7 25.3 25.8 26.4 26.7 26.9 27.2 26 24.7 23.5 20.2 16.8 13.5 13.4 13.4 13.4 12.4 11.4 10.4 9.4 8.4 7.4 9.5 11.5 13.6 15.7 17.7 19.8 19.5 19.2 19 18.7 18.5 18.2 18.1 17.9 17.8 17.6 17.5
- 0.2 0.4 1.3 2.6 2 2.3 1.3 0.7 0.4 0.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.4 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.5 2.2 1.7 0.7 0.3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.4 1.7 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.4 0.9 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.4 0.9 1.3 1.9 2.7 3.1 3 2.5 2 1.4 0.7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.3 0.9 1.4 1.8 2 2.2 2.3 2.3 1.8 1.1 0.4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.6 1.5 2.4 2.9 3 3 3.1 3 2.4 1.6 0.7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.3 0.9 1.4 2 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.2 1.7 1.1 0.5 - - - - - -
0 0 0 10 10 50 50 40 40 20 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 0 10 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 5 20 40 50 70 90 100 100 80 50 30 10 0 0 10 30 40 30 10 0 0 0 20 50 90 130 160 180 190 170 130 100 80 70 60 50 40 40 40 40 40 40 50 50 40 10 0 0 0 10 30 50 70 70 50 40 20 10 0 20 50 60 50 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 20 20 20 20 20 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 0
2.1 3.9 4.6 5.5 3.8 3.7 3.9 4.3 4.9 5.0 5.1 6.5 6.8 6.9 7.9 8.2 8.2 10.0 10.0 8.0 7.2 6.9 6.6 4.9 4.6 3.5 2.0 1.3 1.6 2.0 1.8 2.5 2.2 1.6 1.1 1.3 1.2 1.8 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.3 0.5 0.0 3.5 3.5 5.1 5.5 6.7 8.7 8.7 7.3 6.3 5.5 5.2 5.3 5.6 6.1 6.8 7.3 7.5 7.5 7.3 6.9 7.5 7.1 6.9 6.8 6.7 6.6 6.7 6.6 6.1 4.3 3.9 4.8 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.3 4.2 4.8 5.5 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2 5.1 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.1 4.2 4.1 3.9 3.6 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.5 3.6 3.6 3.9 4.6 4.4 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.7 6.7 8.7 8.7 8.8 8.8 8.8 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 8.7 8.6 8.6 8.7 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 8.6 8.4 8.2 7.9 7.6 7.2 5.7 5.2 4.6 5.2 4.7 4.2 3.9 3.8 3.8 4.0 4.2 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.9
Best Activity Window
WeatherDuck score WeatherDuck score Wind matters most. Rain comes next. Sky only nudges it. Temperature is off by default because layers and kit change comfort.
Day average
4.8/10
Windy day
Best window
19:00-22:00
avg 6.7/10
Day average: 4.8/10
Best window: 19:00-22:00 · Avg 6.7
06:00 · Past
07:00 · Past
08:00 · 2.1/10
09:00 · 3.9/10
10:00 · 4.6/10
11:00 · 5.5/10
12:00 · 3.8/10
13:00 · 3.7/10
14:00 · 3.9/10
15:00 · 4.3/10
16:00 · 4.9/10
17:00 · 5.0/10
18:00 · 5.1/10
19:00 · 6.5/10
20:00 · 6.8/10
21:00 · 6.9/10
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
What this shows
The selected day from 06:00 to 21:00, scored from 0-10. The top line gives the day average and strongest window; the bars show how conditions rise and fall through that activity window. WeatherDuck score — Wind up to 5 mph (matters a lot) · Rain none at all (matters a fair bit) · Sky At least Mostly cloudy (matters a fair bit).
Score Customiser
WeatherDuck score
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These factors shape your score — set a comfy range for each, and how much it matters. Add more from the tray, or remove ones you don't care about. The bars update instantly.

Wind
Comfy range up to 5 mph
How much it matters
matters a lot
Rain
Comfy range none at all
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Sky
Comfy range At least Mostly cloudy
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Temperature
Comfy range 0 – 25°C
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Time of day
Comfy range any time of day
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
UV
Comfy range any UV level
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Wind direction
Comfy range any direction
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Visibility
Comfy range at least 5 km
How much it matters
matters a fair bit
Not counted — tap to add
Day briefing

A notably wet day

10° / 5° · Today · Wed 23

Persistent rain most likely in morning. Southwesterly winds averaging around 11 mph with peaks near 17 mph, gusting to 33 mph. Temperatures range from 5C to 10C, turning cooler later with largely cloudy skies.

18.2 mm
Rain total
17 mph SW
Wind max
gusts 33 mph
2.6
UV max
peak 12:00
Low
Pollen
Grass
26
Air quality
Fair
Very low
Thunder
CAPE 70
Atmosphere
Cloud avg 70%
Freezing level 2,020 mup to 3,390 m
Fog risk Low
Sun & Moon
06:59 / 19:09
Sun ↑↓
12 h 9 m
Daylight
18:06 / 02:45
Moon ↑↓
Waxing Gibbous
Moon phase
88% lit
Live rain radar
LIVE
Loading radar…
--:--
Light Moderate Heavy
Radar data by RainViewer
Is it muddy out there? 4.2 mm last 24 h · free account unlocks the verdict Sign up →
Ground conditions
Is it muddy out there?
A free account unlocks the local dryness verdict. No payment details.
4.2 mm
Last 24 h
94 mm
Last 7 days
Measured at Seathwaite rain gauge, 5.3 km away
Create a free account
Rain gauges and totals stay free for everyone
What to wear
Heavy rain and cold wind chill; full waterproofs, layer up for wind chill.
LayerItemMaterialWhy
Base Moisture-wicking top Merino wool or synthetic; avoid cotton Sweat management in rain
Mid Insulating layer Fleece or synthetic fill; not down (rain forecast) Wind chill feels like 2°C
Outer Waterproof jacket Breathable membrane (Gore-Tex etc.), hood Heavy rain + 33 mph gusts
Lower Waterproof trousers Over existing trousers, breathable Heavy rain forecast
Feet Waterproof boots Ankle support, membrane lining Heavy rain means paths will be wet
Extras Hat, gloves, gaiters Pack spare mid-layer, buff/neck gaiter Cool on ridges, so extra warmth will be useful
Layer up. Plan to wear the main protection from the start.
Wear from the start 5 pieces
Add before you go Weather protection

Tap an item to see why

Essential Recommended Guidance

Guidance based on the forecast, not professional safety advice. Always use your own judgement. BMC layering guide →

Essential Recommended
This is general guidance based on forecast data, not professional safety advice. Always use your own judgement. BMC layering guide →
Inversion Outlook Forecast source Met Office Seamless
UKV 2 km with UKMO Global fallback
Likelihood labels describe the model signal, not an exact percentage chance.
Morning 00:00–12:00 · Afternoon 12:00–00:00
Up to two qualifying hours before midnight join the next morning. Lake District, Howgills & Eden Valley region
Unlikely
Wednesday morning BEST
No clear window yet.
WED MORNING
No clear window
Unlikely
WED AFTERNOON
No clear window
Unlikely
THU MORNING
No clear window
Unlikely
Tap a period for detail
Key Factors What we look for

Our inversion forecast combines five weather factors and how long favourable conditions are expected to last.

S1 · Inversion
Warm air sitting above cooler valley air — the essential ingredient for a cloud sea.
S2 · Moist Below
Whether the valley air is damp enough to form and hold cloud.
S3 · Moisture Contrast
A sharp boundary between the cloudy valley and the dry air above it.
S4 · Clear Above
Clear, dry air above the cloud layer — the better this is, the cleaner the summit views.
S5 · Wind Calm
Light winds at low levels to keep the inversion intact and the cloud sea flat.
Duration
How long the conditions hold — a sustained event gives more time to get above the clouds.
Temperature lid
0%
Valley moisture
4%
Layer contrast
0%
Summit clarity
0%
Wind speed
0%
Duration
0h
No temperature inversion detected
Marginal moisture below
No moisture contrast, diffuse profile
Saturated above, no clear cap
Too windy, mixing likely
No sustained favourable window
Create Free Account for 1 Alert
Loading…
Cloud Inversion Heatmap About this map A shaded area means several nearby locations agree — amber for possible, green for likely, blue for very likely. The bands always sit inside one another, so stronger signals appear more solid.
The purple dot marks your location.
Drag the timeline to see how the chance changes through the night.
Very likely Likely Possible
Atmospheric Profile · Wasdale Head · 61 m
Loading… Timeline
Atmospheric profile data for Scafell Pike,GB
Surface Pressure

Humidity at Pressure Levels

Tap heights to compare both charts.

Higher humidity means the air is closer to saturation.

Temperature at Pressure Levels

Tap heights to compare both charts.

Warmer air above cooler air can indicate an inversion.

All heights shown equally.

Golden Hour
Today
DARKNESS
DAYLIGHT
06:14
06:39
06:59 Sunrise
07:19
07:44
Golden Hour · 40 min
Be at your summit by 06:39
Allow time to set up before the light show begins.
Monthly Inversion Chance
Illustrative relative chance by season
Illustrative — typical UK pattern
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
~2 proper inversion days per year. Mostly late autumn to spring.

Cloud inversions explained

What is a cloud inversion near Scafell Pike, Cumbria?

A cloud inversion happens when cool, moist air becomes trapped in valleys beneath warmer air above. If the trapped moisture turns into fog or low cloud, the hills can rise through it into clearer air and sunshine. From a summit, the result can look like a wide sea of cloud with only the higher peaks visible.

The best chance near Scafell Pike, Cumbria is a calm, settled night with moist valley air, a warm lid above and clearer, drier air over the tops. The bands on this page, from Unlikely to Very likely, describe the strength of that overall signal rather than a percentage promise, so always check timing, estimated cloud height and wind before setting off.

How to read this page. The headline outlook covers the surrounding region. Key Factors and the Atmospheric Profile describe the nearest available atmospheric profile.

See the dedicated Scafell Pike cloud inversion page Read the full UK cloud inversion guide See how WeatherDuck forecasts inversions
Tonight's Stargazing
47
Fair conditions Mixed conditions — pick your moments.
Waxing Gibbous Moon Waxing Gibbous 92%
Mostly clear Cloud Cover Mostly clear 28%
Moon Times Set 02:45 · Rise 18:06
Sky Clarity 40 km Clear
Lunar Day Day 12.1
Light Pollution View map ↓
Tonight's Aurora
Aurora & Solar Wind NOAA
3.0 Planetary Kp Very Low
Wind Speed 291 km/s
Bz 2.4 nT
Density 4.1 p/cm³
Bt 5.2 nT
No significant aurora activity expected tonight.
Observed 07:26 UTC · cached 5 min

Nightly Outlook

Tonight · 23 Sep

Waxing Gibbous · 92% illuminated

46/100
Best window 03:39–04:39 Lower cloud and a low or hidden moon.
Moon height above horizon DaylightGreen = best stargazing hours
18:00–10:00 next morning
Moonrise 18:06 Moonset 04:06 Sunset 19:09Sunrise 07:01
Every hour in detail
Hours after midnight are the following morning.
HourCloud coverMoon
18:00 38% Below horizon
19:00 13% Above horizon
20:00 1% Above horizon
21:00 21% Above horizon
22:00 60% Above horizon
23:00 20% Above horizon
00:00 0% Above horizon
01:00 3% Above horizon
02:00 12% Above horizon
03:00 12% Above horizon
04:00 33% Above horizon
05:00 78% Below horizon
06:00 68% Below horizon
07:00 36% Below horizon
08:00 72% Below horizon
09:00 76% Below horizon
Highest moon 23° at 23:00 Lunar day 12.1

Aurora Kp · 3-Day Forecast

NOAA SWPC · 3-hourly
Higher Kp = stronger geomagnetic activity = better aurora chances. For UK observers, Kp 4+ means aurora is possible from N. Scotland; Kp 5+ brings it across the whole UK.
Today
Wed 23 Sep
Unsettled
Peak Kp 4.3 at 21:00 UTC
Faint aurora possible from N. Scotland.
9630
4.3 · 21:00
0003060912151821
Tomorrow
Thu 24 Sep
Active
Peak Kp 5.3 at 03:00 UTC
Aurora visible across UK — best chance around 03:00 UTC.
9630
5.3 · 03:00
0003060912151821
Fri 25
Fri 25 Sep
Unsettled
Peak Kp 3.7 at 00:00 UTC
Slightly unsettled — minor activity, no aurora expected.
9630
3.7 · 00:00
0003060912151821
Aurora Forecast Map
NOAA OVATION Aurora Forecast
Global — OVATION Model
UK Focus
NOAA OVATION Model • Auto-refreshed
Your Night Sky
Meteor Showers
Coming up this year
Orionids Oct 21
Oct 2 – Nov 7
Fast, with persistent trains.
Leonids Nov 17
Nov 6 – Nov 30
Occasional storms. Fast, bright.
Geminids Dec 14
Dec 4 – Dec 20
Best of the year. Bright, multi-coloured.
Earlier this year
Quadrantids Jan 4
Jan 1 – Jan 6
Strong, short-lived peak. Bright fireballs.
Lyrids Apr 22
Apr 16 – Apr 25
Sparse, sometimes glowing trails.
Eta Aquariids May 6
Apr 19 – May 28
Best before dawn. Fast meteors.
Delta Aquariids Jul 30
Jul 12 – Aug 23
Steady rates, faint. Best late night.
Perseids Aug 12
Jul 17 – Aug 24
Bright, reliable. Best summer shower.
Light Pollution Map
Understanding the stargazing score

The stargazing score combines cloud cover and moon illumination to estimate how good conditions are for observing the night sky. Cloud cover is the dominant factor — even the darkest location is useless under heavy cloud.

The Bortle scale measures light pollution from 1 (pristine dark sky) to 9 (inner-city sky). In the UK, the best accessible sites reach Bortle 2 to 3, found in areas like Northumberland International Dark Sky Park, parts of the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons, and the Scottish Highlands. At Bortle 3, the Milky Way is clearly visible and dozens of deep-sky objects are observable with binoculars.

Moon phase matters: A new moon (0% illumination) provides the darkest sky. A full moon floods the sky with light, washing out everything except planets and the brightest stars. The best stargazing combines a new or thin crescent moon with clear skies.

Practical tips: Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to dark-adapt after arriving at your spot. Avoid looking at phone screens (use a red-light torch instead). The hours after midnight are often best, as the atmosphere settles and any remaining cloud may clear.

Ground dryness Free with an account

Dry paths or muddy boots?

See how wet the ground is around Scafell Pike before you set off.

Your local ground report

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  • Local ground dryness
  • Moisture below the surface
  • Recent conditions and what’s ahead

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