A location in North Wales has been revealed as one of the windiest spots in the UK according to the Met Office.
Wales and the UK were battered by Storm Isha on Sunday and Monday (January 21 and 22) as winds of up to 107mph were recorded in some parts.
These strong winds resulted in flight, train and ferry cancellations as well as road closures and power cuts.
Wales is to endure more strong winds in the coming days after the Met Office officially named the UK's next storm - Storm Joselyn on Monday (January 22).
Storm Jocelyn could bring gusts of up to 70mph across the UK.
#StormJocelyn has been named by @MetEireann and is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK on Tuesday and into Wednesday #weatheraware 🌀 pic.twitter.com/DihJvBBCUg
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 22, 2024
Strongest winds recorded in the UK
The top wind speeds that Storm Isha brought with her of 107mph, may seem pretty strong, but they are nowhere near the strongest recorded in the UK.
The strongest winds in the UK, according to The Met Office, were gusts of 150.3 knots (173 mph) recorded at Cairngorm Summit in the Scottish Highlands on March 20, 1986.
The top 10 windiest places in the UK
The top 10 windiest places in the UK, according to the Met Office, and their average wind speeds (in knots) are:
- Shetland (14.6)
- Orkney (14.3)
- Western Isles / Na h-Eileanan an Iar (12.6)
- Argyll and Bute (12.1)
- Gwynedd (11.3)
- Tweeddale (11.0)
- Ross and Cromarty (10.9)
- Banffshire (10.9)
- Sutherland (10.8)
- Isle of Wight (10.7)
As for times of the year you can expect the windiest conditions, the Met Office added: "Winter is the windiest time of year in the UK.
"At this time of year, the jet stream tends to track further south allowing more Atlantic storms to affect the UK."
Gwynedd among the windiest places in the UK
Gwynedd is the fifth windiest place in the UK according to the Met Office with an average wind speed of 11.3 knots (around 13mph).
It is the only location in Wales on the top 10 list, which is made up of predominately places in Scotland.
The Met Office explained: "In general, the windiest parts of the UK are the north and west.
"This is because the prevailing west to southwesterly winds across the UK lead to northern and western areas being typically more exposed than the south and east.
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"There are also a lot of localised effects with most hills, mountains and coasts being windier than low-lying inland areas.
"Wind speed increases as you go upwards away from the friction caused by the earth's surface.
"This also explains the windier coasts as the sea surface produces less friction than the land."
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