"Bernard Burton" wrote in message
Norman.
Yes, you are correct, but only in terms of the shipping forecast/warnings
for shipping sea areas, and this is only a local 'CFO' (as it used to be,
don't know what it is called now) definition, and as such is only
applicable
to shipping forecasts and the associated gale warnings. The sole
definition
of a gale is given in terms of the mean speed at a height of 10 metres.

--
Bernard Burton
Wokingham, Berkshire, UK.

Satellite images at:
www.btinternet.com/~wokingham.weather/wwp.html


from uk.sci.weather FAQ
Gale: The word 'gale' is used in everyday speech in a rather loose way to
describe any strong wind, for example ..." it's blowing a gale outside",
when it may be just a 'strong blow' in inland areas of the southern Britain.
Meteorologists must work to a strict definition of a gale. For operational
forecasting (UK Met Office practice) both for land and sea use, a gale [
Force 8 on the Beaufort scale ] is defined as a mean wind (over 10 minutes)
of 34 knots (39mph, 63 km/hr, 17 m/s ) or more, or gusts of 43 knots (49
mph, 79 km/hr, 22 m/s) or more. This definition is also used for verifying
Shipping Forecasts and Gale Warnings. Isolated gusts accompanying squalls or
thunderstorms are not counted. However, for climatological purposes (i.e.
post-event analysis), only the mean wind is considered, i.e. a mean wind of
34 knots or more, as specified in the Beaufort wind scale (q.v.). [ see also
definitions for Severe Gale, Storm, Violent Storm and Hurricane Force. ]

Stuart