On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:15:32 -0800 (PST), Tudor Hughes wrote:

I really can't see the problem as far as the average landlubber is
concerned and that must constitute the vast majority of the audience.

Except the average lanlubber then goes away thinking that a much lower
mean wind speed is a "gale" when it isn't. You do have to think twice
about going out in a gale, most places in Britain rarely have real gales.
You only have to look around at all the loose stuff and flimsy fences to
see that.

In my own weather diary, when referring to gusts associated with showers
or thunderstorms, I always use Beaufort , eg "heavy shower, gusts to
force 7", or "gust to force 8 when cold front went through 2130Z".
Will I burn in hell for this?

I don't know but it might come back to haunt you is that "gust to force 8"
a 39mph gust or 46mph one? "Gusts to force 7" is that a few just above
32mph, most between 32 and 38 mph with none above 39,are there a few above
39, how many how far?

I'm not expecting precision, I normaly use low/mid/upper tens mph for gust
speeds.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail