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mountain weather

Weather in the mountains, can be severe and unpredictable. It is very important to heed the weather predictions & signs.
Before walking always check the forecast & assess the risks. Learn also to read the signs + be prepared to change plans...

The 5 things which have the greatest impact are:

Weather Condition	Effects	Risks (in order of severity)
WIND = air moving from high to low pressure, speed + direction varying	balance + ease of walking	tiring, effortful to move pushes you off course knocks you off your feet blows you over / back, can lift you up into the air puts your life in danger go to Beaufort Wind Scale
RAIN = water droplets precipitating out of warm moist air	how dry you are + conditions underfoot + height of waterways	get damp (and cold) morale drops need to slow donw feet get wet slip on mud / wet ground become soaked through paper maps disfigure unable to see your way unable to cross rivers get swept away by waters life put at risk go to info about rainfall
TEMPERATURE °C °F	how hot or cold	discomfort at extremes heat stroke + dehydration, at worst die in cold, hard to use fingers suffer hypothermia develop frostbite at worst die go to info about temperature
MIST / FOG = visible water vapour suspended in the atmosphere, density varies	visibility + light levels	harder to navigate loose your way people go missing stumble into danger go to info about mist/fog
LIGHTNING forked /sheet electrical charge	your safety	fear + vulnerability need to sit it out risk electricution potentially fatal strike go to info about lightning
SNOW = white crystals of frozen water	conditions underfoot + effort required + safety of surface + visibility	sink in hard work to move along slip on frozen ice risk injury become trapped buried by avalanche develop hypothermia fall into hazards potentially fatal go to info about snow
ICE = frozen water	slipperiness underfoot + safety of surface	care & attention required loose footing / slip fall through ice risk injury slide into danger fall into freezing water on ice suffer hypothermia potentially fatal go to info about ice