"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 09:27:10 +0000, alanwhitewick wrote:

58mph 0450 GMT Wincanton, Somerset

Mean or gust?

Personally I feel that the quoting of gust speeds is rather meaningless
and rather tabloid mejia like. An accompanying mean would mitigate that
somewhat. Case in point the lone 57mph gust here at 0259, was that real
or a instrumentation glitch? Other gusts at that time where the low 50's
mph.



Dave, it is the gusts that do the damage. Your gust was probably true as is the
nature of gusts especially in the met. conditions of last night with long lulls
then powerful gusts. For the record, my 3m agl mean at max gust time of 41 knots
was a mere 17 knots. The 17 knots, does of course correct up to 29 knots at 10
metres agl. So a force 7 with powerful gusts running at 2.4 above the mean speed
(which was characteristic of the night I think). That was my site which is
fairly sheltered by a slope to my south and west, the open moor would have been
wild!

Will.
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