weather forecasts

The whole of Europe is in the middle of a scorching heatwave. Here in the Cotswolds the grass is as brown as a hay bale and the thermometer has been touching 30°C. It seemed like a good time to go hill walking in the Lake District, where good weather seemed guaranteed for a change.

While wandering around the nature section of the Highland Bookshop in Fort William last month, my eyes chanced upon the title The Secret World of Weather by Tristan Gooley. It seemed an apt choice for reading by the fireside in a cosy cottage as the driving rain hammered on the windows.

Snow on the hills is great, but it’s best not to go out walking when it’s actually snowing, so last weekend I took the easier option and spent it indoors at the Outdoors Show at London’s ExCeL conference centre, if

For a while now I’ve been using the excellent Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) website before I head for the hills, but that may be about to change now that the Met Office website has had a revamp. Standard regional

The most talked about subject in Britain at the moment isn’t the upcoming London Olympics, but the crap weather we’ve been having. First it was the wettest April on record, then it was the wettest May on record. I happened

The story of the 2012 Altitude Junkies expedition to climb Everest by the North Ridge Sometimes you get lucky in life, and everything just seems to fall into place like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. These times are rare and

Yesterday afternoon Everest wore the biggest plume of cloud I’ve ever seen, extending the entire length of the Northeast Ridge and beyond. I don’t know what the mountain gods were doing up there, but it was obvious they didn’t want

One of the considerations when hanging around at base camp for days on end waiting for a weather window is to ensure you stay in shape and get enough exercise. This isn’t always easy. Base camp on Gasherbrum in Pakistan

A few days ago I reported that there looked to be a promising weather window on Manaslu which we were about to take advantage of and push for the summit. Yesterday morning I awoke in Camp 1 at 5770m to

Wetherlam to Waterlam: climbing the Old Man of Coniston in a summer heatwave

7 mountain weather phenomena: a quick intro, courtesy of Tristan Gooley

Kenton Cool and the Olympic gold medal for climbing Everest

Met Office website facelift is a godsend for hill walkers

Backpacking in the Black Mount: a high level route for midges

Everest 2012: Climbing and alcohol

The mountain gods are mellowing

The joys of Samagaon, gateway to Manaslu

The best weather forecast is to look out of your tent