"Dave Ludlow" wrote in message
...
Went to visit relatives at Lee-on-Solent around 6:30 and I stopped off
at the beach when I saw the sea state, a classic force 7 or possibly
force 8, I thought. Unfortunately my handheld anemometer had a flat
battery (grrr!!!) but it was certainly hard at times to to walk
against the wind and a couple of kids on the beach had waves breaking
well above their heads (silly kids!).

With a temperature of 16 degrees C and the strong wind it felt like
Autumn had arrived a couple of months early. Solent MRSC reported a
wind speed 36mph/gust 45 at 7pm so it wouldn't surprise me if they had
a spell at gale force 8 some time between 6:30 and 7:30. Not your
average mid August day (though there wasn't much rain today).

--
Dave
Reporting from Lee-on-the-Solent

It's likely to be even stronger tomorrow, Dave, with a ~50KT gradient
predicted to transfer east through the Channel (compared to 35-40KT or so
today). The 12Z GFS picks it up reasonably well (T+24 925mb winds)
http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rtavn2413.png

An advisory in force for severe gales in the far south
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/...ngs.html?day=2

Noticed the Needles Battery CDL reported gusts of 55KT earlier today.

Jon.