The United Kingdom has experienced some extremely fierce winds during recent storms with both Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis testing the skills of pilots as they battle to land planes. The wind has not only affected aircrafts but has also caused an unusual natural occurrence by driving water, which is cascading down cliffs, backwards into the air in defiance of gravity, creating an ‘upfall’.
On Friday 14 February, powerful winds at Kinder Downfall, in the Peak District, Derbyshire, caused the 30m waterfall to blow backwards into the sky. According to the BBC, climber, Helen Grant said, ‘I’ve been scrambling up hills and mountains since I was little. Watching the downfall blowing up was pretty exhilarating. I’ve been up there quite a few times when it’s been blowing uphill but this was the most spectacular so far.’
Ireland’s highest waterfall, Devils Chimney, on the Dartry Mountains in the northwest of Ireland was also affected by Storm Dennis. The falls gets its name from the ‘smoke’ that rises into the air when the wind blows the water into the air.
STORM DENNIS – The Devil’s Chimney waterfall blows backwards this morning
Sligo, Ireland
The waterfall’s name comes from the phenomenon where southerly winds sometimes blow the water backwards up over the cliff. @rtenews @VirginMediaNews @MetEireann @JoannaDonnellyL #StormDennis pic.twitter.com/kESqPlqgtb— Donegal Weather Channel (@DonegalWeatherC) February 15, 2020
A few days prior to this, Derek Fabel captured footage of Campsie Fells in Scotland, where the water was also flying uphill and into the sky.
Jenny’s Lum (Lum=chimney), Campsie Fells, Scotland looking spectacular today #Ciarastorm pic.twitter.com/qluFRMtYQw
— Derek Fabel (@DerekFabel) February 9, 2020
In November 2019 a similar occurrence took place in Ireland where water was blown up a cliff face and previous footage has been recorded of ‘upfalls’ at Kinder Downfall in 2018.
Word of the day: “upfall” – a waterfall that has been reversed by the strength of a wind, such that it seems to flow – counter-gravitationally & counter-intuitively – up into the air rather than down to the ground.
[Image is of Kinder Downfall, Derbyshire by Dave59/Wikipedia] pic.twitter.com/Iss6SkkaL0— Robert Macfarlane (@RobGMacfarlane) September 3, 2018
[Image is of Kinder Downfall, Derbyshire by Dave59/Wikipedia]
