Highest wind speed of season recorded at Helvellyn
FELL TOP ASSESSORSThe highest wind speed of the season so far has been recorded on one of England's highest peaks.
The reading of 89mph (143 km/h) was taken by fell top assessor Paddy Cave on Thursday, as he made his daily ascent of Helvellyn while gathering information on conditions from 950m (3,117 ft) high.
Roads were flooded and impassable in Cumbria and some routes, including parts of the A66, were closed to high-sided vehicles in the high wind speeds.
Cave said the days following a yellow weather warning could often take people by surprise as "it's often when the hills transform back to full winter", adding that was when the team's conditions reports were "most vital".
He said Friday's fresh snow coating on the fells was "a perfect example" of abrupt changes to conditions on the hills after severe weather.
Cave said he recorded the wind speeds using a handheld weather station for the Weatherline service, describing it as "pretty lively" at the summit.
"I was going up the north-east side of the mountain, so you're in the wind's shadow and so the mountain is actually sheltering you from the main force of the wind," he said.
"At the very top, you have to poke your head out to go on the summit to get the full reading so you're minimising your amount of time and that kind of wind."
FELL TOP ASSESSORSFell top assessors check summit conditions to add to the weather forecast and to ultimately help keep people safe.
Helvellyn was selected because it is the most popular fell and has a large east-facing headwall that retains the snow and ice.
"It was more difficult to operate the weather station with the high wind speeds and rain impacting visibility, and definitely more difficult to stand up straight and get into position for the readings," Cave said.
"But the days that are also very cold and snowy and we have deep fresh snow and blizzard conditions are probably tougher."
