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.

I think that's the main point. Gales are damaging, and the word is
becoming totally devalued.

Graham
Penzance

www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/PzStorm.PDF