"Of all of the cities in the UK, St Albans receives the least wind, averaging at just 5 knots. "
Fulton UMbrellas
But where in Britain is the windiest? Fulton Umbrellas, creators of windproof umbrellas, explores…
The windiest place in Britain
If you’re not a fan of the wind (or flying a kite for that matter), you might want to stay clear of these places — they’re amongst the windiest in the UK.
It’s unsurprising that some of the UK’s highest wind speeds have been recorded in mountainous locations. The highest wind speed was recorded in 1986 at Cairngorm Summit in the Scottish Highlands, when wind whipped up to 150.3 knots!
Aside from one-off gusts, where is the windiest place in the UK? Using data from 1981 to 2010, the Met Office places the Shetlands as the windiest location in Britain, with an average wind speed of 14.7 knots. This is followed by Buteshire (14.5 knots) and Orkney (14.3 knots).
When you consider that the average wind speed in UK cities is 8.1 knots, the above regions are certainly windy!
The least windiest place in Britain
Now we know where to avoid, where should wind-haters visit instead? Of all of the cities in the UK, St Alban’s receives the least wind, averaging at just 5 knots. Following in second is Hereford with 5.3 knots and Durham at 6 knots.
The windiest time of year
As you would expect, winter is the windiest time of year in the UK. This is because our weather system’s jet stream is further back, meaning the UK is more vulnerable to storms from the Atlantic. Typically, January is the windiest month in a year.
In 2015, Britain experienced its windiest year since 1995, with no ‘calm’ days in a three-month period. Calm days are days where gusts of 11mph or less are recorded by a minimum of 20 weather stations.
Dressing for wind
· Avoid floaty clothing — tight-fitting dresses are a better choice than floaty styles, as there is less chance of them blowing up.
· Wear a scarf — tuck your face into a cosy scarf for additional protection from the wind.
· Tie your hair up — keep the tangles at bay and tie your hair up when heading out into the wind. You’ll thank us when it comes to brushing your hair later!
Invest in a sturdy umbrella — a windproof umbrella is a great investment for when the elements are against you.
