On Friday, February 15, 2013 9:33:12 PM UTC, Tudor Hughes wrote:
A friend of mine (not a weather nut) takes it as axiomatic that a
warmer world would be a windier one (including the UK) whereas I am
not convinced that this is necessarily so. In fact, I can think of
good reasons why the opposite might be true. The temperature gradient
between pole and equator is less due to the disproportionate warming
in high latitudes and this will reduce the vigour of the circulation
and probably increase blocking. That, of course is hardly the last
word on the subject so does anyone here have any special knowledge of
what climate models predict or can point me to some literature?

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

I don't know about the whole world but, as far as the UK is concerned, most forecasts seem to predict a fall in gale frequencies until the 2080s when a marked increase in Summer gales is predicted. Certainly this is the case with UKCIP predictions. Presumably the reduction in winter gales is down to the reduction in the temperature gradient, but I've not read enough to be sure.

This link may work http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3...encies&f=false If it does see Table 19.5

Certainly the reduction in gale frequencies from Shetland to west Ireland to Cornwall has been marked over the last couple of decades.

Lambs 'The English Climate shws Penzance as having around 20 gales per annum.
Average Number of gales in Pz 1991-2000 13.5
Average Number of gales in Pz 2001-2012 6.1

Graham
Penzance