Lake District

Ground conditions

Date: Thursday 12 February: Location: Helvellyn summit at 14:36 Temperature: minus 1.7°C. Maximum wind speed 27.8mph. Wind chill: minus 11.7°C. Average wind speed: 23.1mph Full report: After many days of thawing conditions through to summit level on Helvellyn, temperatures are now back below freezing and there was a fresh dusting of snow this morning to about 700m, additional fresh snow was settling to roughly 500m through the afternoon. Tomorrow it looks like the freeze-line will drop further and by Saturday we should have cold and clear conditions across the fells! The drop in temperatures has transformed the mountain today back to feeling very wintery with the additional light snow cover, rime ice building in the wind, and most notably, the old wet snow now being transformed into generally hard snow-ice (neve), this has made any areas, such as the headwall and upper reaches of Swirral Edge, where there was old snow in place, now very slippery and often with consequential fall-lines onto scree or snow free terrain below. So with this in mind, micro-spikes would be recommended on all easier approaches to the summit, and crampons and an ice axe on any steep or exposed terrain, particularly where old snow has become snow-ice (the classic Edges and headwall area for example). The drop in temperatures also mean full winter clothing, layers, hat and gloves are all essential for comfortable travel. Other essentials such as a group shelter, goggles, map and compass, and headtorch are all particularly important to have packed now with a return to full winter conditions on the fells. For the well prepared, its looking like a few nice winter days ahead on the high fells! https://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/ This is an automated email. If you need a response please email [email protected]