# Mount Longdon

Mount Longdon is a hill located in the east of East Falkland island forming part of the Falkland Islands Archipelago. It has an elevation of 186 metres (610 ft) above sea level. It is the highest land in any direction for 2 kilometres (1 miles). It is known as the site of the Battle of Mount Longdon, and overlooks Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands.

## Geography

Mount Longdon forms part of a hilly area in the East of the East Falkland Island.

### Geology

Mount Longdon and the surrounding area primarily consists of sedimentary rocks with formations of sandstones, quartzites, and shales, which date back to the Paleozoic era.

### Climate

The Climate for Mount Longdon is extremely similar to Stanley and RAF Mount Pleasant due to its proximity. Mount Longdon has a maritime climate in the polar, tundra zones, Köppen classification ET. The climate is very much influenced by the cool South Atlantic ocean and its northerly Patagonian current. The oceanic climatic type is characterised by both low seasonal and diurnal temperature ranges and no marked wet and dry season while in the sub-arctic zone the average monthly maximum temperature exceeds 10 °C (50 °F) for no more than four months of the year and the average monthly minimum does not drop below −3 °C (27 °F). Mount Longdon's elevation, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool conditions.
Climate data for Stanley, Falkland Islands, 2m asl, 1929–1970 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) | 23.3 (73.9) | 21.1 (70.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 14.1 (57.4) | 10.6 (51.1) | 10.0 (50.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.7 (71.1) | 24.4 (75.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) | 12.8 (55.0) | 11.7 (53.1) | 9.4 (48.9) | 6.7 (44.1) | 5.0 (41.0) | 4.4 (39.9) | 5.0 (41.0) | 7.2 (45.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 12.2 (54.0) | 9.0 (48.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.5 (49.1) | 8.9 (48.0) | 8.1 (46.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 3.9 (39.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | 1.9 (35.4) | 2.2 (36.0) | 3.9 (39.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 7.0 (44.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.6 (42.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) | 5.0 (41.0) | 4.4 (39.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | 1.1 (34.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | −0.6 (30.9) | −0.6 (30.9) | 0.6 (33.1) | 1.7 (35.1) | 2.8 (37.0) | 3.9 (39.0) | 2.2 (36.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −1.1 (30.0) | −1.1 (30.0) | −2.8 (27.0) | −6.1 (21.0) | −6.7 (19.9) | −11.1 (12.0) | −8.9 (16.0) | −11.1 (12.0) | −10.6 (12.9) | −5.6 (21.9) | −3.3 (26.1) | −1.7 (28.9) | −11.1 (12.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 71 (2.8) | 58 (2.3) | 64 (2.5) | 66 (2.6) | 66 (2.6) | 53 (2.1) | 51 (2.0) | 51 (2.0) | 38 (1.5) | 41 (1.6) | 51 (2.0) | 71 (2.8) | 681 (26.8) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 15 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 133 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 78 | 79 | 82 | 86 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 87 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 77 | 83 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 198 | 161 | 169 | 115 | 77 | 57 | 69 | 90 | 128 | 189 | 200 | 198 | 1,651 |
| Source 1: Globalbioclimatics/Salvador Rivas-Martínez ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: DMI/Danish Meteorology Institute (sun, humidity, and precipitation days 1931–1960) ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Mount Pleasant EGYP, East Falkland, 74m asl, 1999–2019 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.8 (80.2) | 25.5 (77.9) | 26.1 (79.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 15.7 (60.3) | 12.3 (54.1) | 15.11 (59.20) | 22.2 (72.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 25.3 (77.5) | 26.8 (80.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.8 (62.2) | 15.9 (60.6) | 14.6 (58.3) | 10.9 (51.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.9 (42.6) | 5.4 (41.7) | 6.6 (43.9) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.7 (53.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.4 (59.7) | 11.1 (52.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) | 6.1 (43.0) | 5.1 (41.2) | 3.3 (37.9) | 1.6 (34.9) | 0.4 (32.7) | −0.3 (31.5) | 0.3 (32.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | 2.2 (36.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 5.0 (41.0) | 2.9 (37.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) | −0.8 (30.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | −2.8 (27.0) | −6.1 (21.0) | −10.1 (13.8) | −10.3 (13.5) | −6.5 (20.3) | −9.8 (14.4) | −3.1 (26.4) | −5.5 (22.1) | −1.5 (29.3) | −10.1 (13.8) |
| Source: NCDC ||||||||||||||

## History

The Battle of Mount Longdon was fought between the British 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment and elements of the Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment on 11–12 June 1982, towards the end of the Falklands War. It was one of three engagements in a Brigade-size operation that night, along with the Battle of Mount Harriet and the Battle of Two Sisters. A mixture of hand-to-hand fighting and ranged combat resulted in the British occupying this key position around the Argentine garrison at Port Stanley. The battle ended in a British victory.

## Summit

At the summit of the hill now lies a memorial which today attracts some tourism to the area.