"Graham Easterling" wrote in message

...
On 14 Jan, 18:59, "Jack )"

Like Norman the I hate the phrase 'gusts to gale force', on exposed
coasts gusts to gale force occur a good proportion of the days in
winter, so is totally meaningless. It just means it's a bit windy.

weaman wrote:

Graham, general Met Office usage defines a gale in terms of both mean
speed and gusts. Hence a severe gale is either mean speed 45kts, or
gusts 52kt, if memory serves me right. Hence gusts to severe gale
force means gusts to 52kts. I doubt this is widely known. To confuse
matters further, the Severe Weather Warnings use a different limit,
ie 70mph gusts for issue of warnings of INLAND 'severe gales'...


I think you're confusing the definition of a severe gale with the
criteria used for the issue of severe gale warnings. They are not one
and the same thing. A severe gale is defined as a mean wind speed of
41-47 knots. Gusts don't come into it as the Met Office document I
referred to clearly points out. On the other hand, the criteria for
issuing severe gale warnings do include a gust speed threshold (I can't
remember off the top of my head what that threshold is). Nevertheless,
even if that gust threshold is reached or exceeded a severe gale has
actually occurred only if the mean wind speed criterion is reached.
Confusing or what?!!!

Norman
--
Norman Lynagh
Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire
85m a.s.l.
(remove "thisbit" twice to e-mail)