I'm gauging that most people think today hasn't been anywhere near as
the good old Met'O had us expecting - thankfully.
Today looks like only been the 7-8th windiest day that I have recorded
over the last 4yrs. I even had a windier day in May of this year.

But if you went by the Met'o weather warnings it should have been No.
1.

But I don't recall the rash of weather warnings on the majority of
those days that were windier than today and most of them were also
wetter than today as well.

Is it a case of:
a.) it was an EX hurricane so better put a warning out - makes for a
good news story
b.) bad luck on part of the Met'O
c.) Over sensitivity on part of the Met'O
d.) poor forecsating
e.) it beats a weather warning for 2mm of snowfall

On 12/09/2011 23:32, wrote:
I'm gauging that most people think today hasn't been anywhere near as
the good old Met'O had us expecting - thankfully.
Today looks like only been the 7-8th windiest day that I have recorded
over the last 4yrs. I even had a windier day in May of this year.

You don't say where you are, but in North Yorkshire it was a full gale
for about 6 hours with localised short powercuts and a major high level
bridge taken out of service because HGV drivers were too stupid or
stubborn to follow the road closed to high sided vehicles warning signs.

But if you went by the Met'o weather warnings it should have been No.
1.

But I don't recall the rash of weather warnings on the majority of
those days that were windier than today and most of them were also
wetter than today as well.

Is it a case of:
a.) it was an EX hurricane so better put a warning out - makes for a
good news story
b.) bad luck on part of the Met'O
c.) Over sensitivity on part of the Met'O
d.) poor forecsating
e.) it beats a weather warning for 2mm of snowfall

It was pretty wild and with leaves still on the trees it would not have
needed to be very much stronger to do a lot of damage. Only very badly
built buildings seem to have been affected according to news reports:

http://www.itv.com/tynetees/roof-col...-in-wind80764/

The worst part of the gale was snapping 3" diameter dead branches off
trees and dropping onto the roads. Mostly it was smaller stuff around 1"
in size and good for kindling. I think the Met Office are still a bit
paranoid at this time of year about the infamous "not a hurricane"
forecast of 1987 that reduced Sevenoaks to Three.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On Sep 12, 11:32*pm, wrote:
I'm gauging that most people think today hasn't been anywhere near as
the good old Met'O had us expecting

snip

=================

I'd disagree strongly with "hasn't been anywhere near". Widespread
gusts of 60 to 65mph from central Scotland southwards across northern
England, Northern Ireland and north Wales, and locally in excess of
70mph (e.g. Boulmer and Glasgow Bishopton, with 86mph at Glen Ogle).
Gusts across inland Lincolnshire above 55mph. That all seems to be in
the right ball park; I don't know exactly what the Met Office were
putting out and wouldn't presume to speak for them but it's pretty
much what we were thinking here.

Northern Scotland, falling under the flabby low centre, did not of
course see much wind but that precise track was becoming clear a day
or so before.

There has been some nonsense in the media, though, about this being
the strongest storm for 15 years. I doubt it's even the strongest this
year - there was a beauty in May that gave 90mph+ in parts of NW
Scotland.

Stephen.

On Sep 12, 11:32*pm, wrote:

Today looks like only been the 7-8th windiest day that I have recorded
over the last 4yrs. I even had a windier day in May of this year.

But if you went by the Met'o weather warnings it should have been No.
1.

They never issued a red warning, did they?

Stephen.

On 13/09/11 08:23, Stephen Davenport wrote:
On Sep 12, 11:32 pm, wrote:
I'm gauging that most people think today hasn't been anywhere near as
the good old Met'O had us expecting

snip

=================

I'd disagree strongly with "hasn't been anywhere near". Widespread
gusts of 60 to 65mph from central Scotland southwards across northern
England, Northern Ireland and north Wales, and locally in excess of
70mph (e.g. Boulmer and Glasgow Bishopton, with 86mph at Glen Ogle).
Gusts across inland Lincolnshire above 55mph. That all seems to be in
the right ball park; I don't know exactly what the Met Office were
putting out and wouldn't presume to speak for them but it's pretty
much what we were thinking here.

Northern Scotland, falling under the flabby low centre, did not of
course see much wind but that precise track was becoming clear a day
or so before.

There has been some nonsense in the media, though, about this being
the strongest storm for 15 years. I doubt it's even the strongest this
year - there was a beauty in May that gave 90mph+ in parts of NW
Scotland.

Stephen.

He probably means it's not been anywhere near where HE PERSONALLY
resides, so it mustn't have been anywhere near anywhere.

Fair point re no red warning.
I live in east cumbria in the lee of the Mts and my weather warnings
yesterday were telling me that such locations should expect to have
the strongest of the winds.
But I still trees in full leaf (and won't have to be out there
sweeping up today), with thankfully no damage caused.
I do think it is an over sensitivity and a case of better to put a
warning out than not, just in case.
Our particular favourite up here is a warning for 2-5cms of snow or
ice on pavements - why does such an 'event' need a warning?

'Anywhere near as' should obviously read
'Anywhere near as BAD'

On Sep 13, 8:38*am, wrote:
Fair point re no red warning.
I live in east cumbria in the lee of the Mts and my weather warnings
yesterday were telling me that such locations should expect to have
the strongest of the winds.
But I still trees in full leaf (and won't have to be out there
sweeping up today), with thankfully no damage caused.
I do think it is an over sensitivity and a case of better to put a
warning out than not, just in case.

=============================

It's a point of view but not one with which I agree. You think that
the alert status should have been Green for Cumbria with gusts over
60mph? As I understand it, warnings aren't and cannot be broken down
into small areas depending on how sheltered they happen to be within
the broader region.

=============================


Our particular favourite up here is a warning for 2-5cms of snow or
ice on pavements - why does such an 'event' need a warning?

=============================

I agree that it does not and should be covered just by the forecast.
But I imagine that there would be as many complaints under such
circumstances about a *lack* of a warning for snow.

Stephen.

On Sep 13, 8:38*am, wrote:
Fair point re no red warning.
I live in east cumbria in the lee of the Mts and my weather warnings
yesterday were telling me that such locations should expect to have
the strongest of the winds.
But I still trees in full leaf (and won't have to be out there
sweeping up today), with thankfully no damage caused.
I do think it is an over sensitivity and a case of better to put a
warning out than not, just in case.

=======================

It's a point of view but not one with which I agree. There is no way
it can be argued that there should have been a Green hazard state for
Cumbria with gusts in places in excess of 60mph. Warnings don't and
can't take into account every sheltered nook and cranny. They are just
that -- warnings, not tailored local forecasts. And people generally
know through whether or not their particular locale is going to be
affected in exactly the same way.

Some of the strongest winds yesterday were indeed on the eastern side
of high ground -- Loftus and Boulmer, for instance, from the
observations we have.

========================

Our particular favourite up here is a warning for 2-5cms of snow or
ice on pavements - why does such an 'event' need a warning?

========================

I would agree that this is something that perhaps should simply be
covered by the forecast rather than a warning. But I'm sure there
would be an equal number of complaints under these circumstances were
a warning *not* issued. People do like a hue and cry these days.

Stephen.

Stephen Davenport wrote:

On Sep 13, 8:38*am, wrote:
Fair point re no red warning.
I live in east cumbria in the lee of the Mts and my weather warnings
yesterday were telling me that such locations should expect to have
the strongest of the winds.
But I still trees in full leaf (and won't have to be out there
sweeping up today), with thankfully no damage caused.
I do think it is an over sensitivity and a case of better to put a
warning out than not, just in case.

=======================

It's a point of view but not one with which I agree. There is no way
it can be argued that there should have been a Green hazard state for
Cumbria with gusts in places in excess of 60mph. Warnings don't and
can't take into account every sheltered nook and cranny. They are just
that -- warnings, not tailored local forecasts. And people generally
know through whether or not their particular locale is going to be
affected in exactly the same way.

Some of the strongest winds yesterday were indeed on the eastern side
of high ground -- Loftus and Boulmer, for instance, from the
observations we have.

That was certainly my experience, Stephen. As I said in another thread, the
wind at 180m a.s.l. near Dronfield yesterday afternoon was much stronger than
it was at 300m a.s.l. at Tideswell. Dronfield is about 12 miles east of
Tideswell.

--
Norman Lynagh
Tideswell, Derbyshire
303m a.s.l.