The message
from "Martin Rowley" contains
these words:


"Col" wrote in message
...

"Martin Rowley" wrote in
message
...


... and I've now found a note in the COL bulletin for that month of
a
gust of 87kn at North Rona at 0400Z on the 13th.

Yes, that must be the one, thanks for the info

87kn must be as near as dammit 100mph, I was wondering
whether I had recalled that correctly as it seems an outrageous
gust in June even in an exposed location.

... yes, I'm sure that is where the '100' came from. It's a bit
'artificial' (for land-lubbers) as the sensors are located on an
isolated island some distance to the NNW of Scotland, itself poking up
98m above the sea, then the sensors are some way above that (can't
remember what the anemometer height was, but do remember that we didn't
use it for verification of Fair Isle gales because it was not
representative of *ship* level winds - more a 'reduced gradient' speed!
I believe it (North Rona) is a World Conservation site? The gusts I
posted in the original are more representative of populated areas of the
Northern and Western Isles.

Martin.

Fair Isle June 13th 2000
My weather diary for that day -
Overnight showers clearing to give a fine sunny start to the day, the
WSW'ly F5 wind backing SSW'ly and increasing F7 by 0600 UTC. The wind
continued to increase reaching gale F8 at 0610 UTC and severe gale F9 by
0840 UTC. At 0901 UTC a gust of 66 kt was recorded - the wind veering
to 240° - and one to 68 kt at 0945 UTC (the Davis WM II recording 73
kt). The wind, reaching a mean speed of F10 at times (highest 10 minute
mean was 54 kt - equalling the previous highest GUST for June and making
this the worst June storm for Fair Isle since records began in 1974.),
continued to gust frequently above 60 kt until well into the afternoon -
the severe gale/storm easing, F8 at 1400 UTC, ceased at 1520 UTC. F6-7
WSW'ly winds continuing to blow throughout the evening. Despite the
storm it was a sunny day with scattered light showers but much blowing
spray - reducing the visibility to 3000 m at times - reulting from the
heavy W'ly swell.

Dave
Fair Isle