Has Inland Southwest England Ever Had Wind Gusts Above 70mph!

[wimblettben]

I know from when I was little that there have been windier day's then what we have had in the last few years but I am just wondering because these winds only currently seem to effect scotland, northwest Wales and Ireland on really high exsposed ground.

Even with big storms in the past I can't believe that the reports of winds over 80mph were taken from more inland areas as I have seen videos from America in peoples backyards with these levels of winds and almost every tree at the end alway's seems to get uprooted, even with there own houses being destroyed.

I have been around since 1995 and so far the worst damage I have seen here is one arial nocked over and an old small tree uprooted but thats about it! And going by the beoufourt scale trees get uprooted from winds of only 50mph!

The 1987 storm was only really a more Eastern event that mostly effected London and looking at Southwest England on that day it only looks like a typical windy day.

Does anyone know of any stations, such as yoevilton, recording winds over 70mph since this period.

[Aaron]

I'm guessing Exmoor and Dartmoor have, given their hilly, exposed terrain.

[wimblettben]

One of the reasons I am also doubtfull about it is from an older topic I did earlier this month on the 2009 november 13th and 14th strong winds.

Many members were saying that it wasn't that bad and that there have been windier day's since, well this year. And the highest wind I have ever recorded on actuall ground level since last year is just 34mph.

Many people soon just skipped a good 20+ years ago back to the 1990 Burns day storm, and even then the highest gust was 98mph and this was not recorded in the Southwest.

Edited October 30, 2011 by wimblettben

[Aaron]

Bristol Lulsgate in February 1990 recorded a gust of 71.3 mph, twice

Here is the link for you:

http://www.tutiempo....-1990/37243.htm

Edited October 30, 2011 by Aaron

[gottolovethisweather]

Hi wimblettben.

A quick google search comes up with the following link.

http://www.metoffice...est_England.pdf

I also feel you're onto something re: the lack of Severe Gale or stronger winds, down in our neck of the woods. Maybe this year will change all that.

Nevermind, the cold will come eventually and I want it to, along with many others.

Kind Regards

gottolovethisweather

Edited October 30, 2011 by gottolovethisweather

[philglossop]

Hi Ben

The storm of October 87 wasn't as bad as the January Storm of 1990 down here. I think if you look on you tube, there's a mid morning BBC Weather report from that day showing that "Dartmoor" had a gust of over 100mph. I'm hazarding a guess on the location of the Dartmoor station may be North Hessary Tor, home to the Radio/Communications Mast. North Hessary Tor overlooks Princetown and is pretty much the first larger tor when the wind would be in the South West direction. Although there are other Tors close by (Sharpitor/Leather Tor/Cramber Tor), North Hess as it's locally known is pretty exposed.

Of course my hunch on location could be wrong and it could be connected to the Army Firing ranges of Merrivale/Willsworthy and Okehampton- so it could be Okehampton Camp (Army base), but if it was surely it would have be mentioned. Would be interesting to know where this Dartmoor Station was!

Edit- here we go Ben

Dartmoor 105mph, Culdrose 95mph. Edited October 30, 2011 by philglossop

[knocker]

Many people soon just skipped a good 20+ years ago back to the 1990 Burns day storm, and even then the highest gust was 98mph and this was not recorded in the Southwest.

That is incorrect.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/jan1990/

[rowieboyz]

The 1987 storm was anything but a normal windy day, I was 13 at the time and remember watching the local school roof get blown off! couple that with many trees and fences blown down all over the place I would say it was exceptional. Oh and it gets a bit bloody blowy up here on the moor too! lol

Jase

I happened to be living in Plymouth in 1987

Edited October 30, 2011 by rowieboyz

[Evening thunder]

The link gottolovethisweather posted has Exeter Airport at 74 knots (about 85mph) in the Burns Day Storm, and Yeovilton 68 knots (78mph). The link Weather Ship posted also shows this and many other inland sites having peak gusts over 70 knots and up to 79 knots in Southern England. Also there's a site with a 82 knot gust inland in North Devon (and 84 knots near London )

So there have been widespread gusts >70mph inland in the SW on occasions in the past.

The 1987 storm was anything but a normal windy day, I was 13 at the time and remember watching the local school roof get blown off! couple that with many trees and fences blown down all over the place I would say it was exceptional. Oh and it gets a bit bloody blowy up here on the moor too! lol

Jase

I happened to be living in Plymouth in 1987

Interesting post there from what they've told me my parents say it was more than just a normal windy day here too and it suggested we got effected quite a lot too, though I'm not completely sure what happened here in that event.

[Aaron]

Bearing in mind Exeter is pretty close to the coast

[Guest mycroft]

Bearing in mind Exeter is pretty close to the coast

Exeter is 5.5 miles from the coast,so not that close,however Exeter Airport is in an elevated postion so will get the worst of the gusts

[knocker]

The link gottolovethisweather posted has Exeter Airport at 74 knots (about 85mph) in the Burns Day Storm, and Yeovilton 68 knots (78mph). The link Weather Ship posted also shows this and many other inland sites having peak gusts over 70 knots and up to 79 knots in Southern England. Also there's a site with a 82 knot gust inland in North Devon (and 84 knots near London )

So there have been widespread gusts >70mph inland in the SW on occasions in the past.

I actually remember that day quite well because it was quite hairy trying to launch a radiosonde at Camborne.

Edited October 30, 2011 by weather ship

[Evening thunder]

Exeter is relatively close to the coast compared to some other parts of the UK for example but it has more land and Dartmoor to the west and SW which I think was the direction of the wind in the Burns day storm, though it being more S and closer to the coast probably made a more notable difference in the 1987 storm I would guess but don't know for sure and correct me if I'm wrong.

Exeter is 5.5 miles from the coast,so not that close,however Exeter Airport is in an elevated postion so will get the worst of the gusts

I did think Exeter Airport was on relatively flat low lying land, in fact I think I remember it's elevation being about the same as mine (26m). It is in a frost hollow area and often gets the lowest temperatures (it dropped to -13.6C in Jan 2010 and -16.5C in Dec 2010!) Though I think it's more open to most directions than say a valley with hills either side which is what we have at my house.

[Aaron]

Exeter Airport is in a frost hollow. Valleys can often funnel wind, such as Capel Curig in Wales

Edited October 30, 2011 by Aaron

[knocker]

Exeter Airport is in a frost hollow. Valleys can often funnel wind, such as Capel Curig in Wales

Totally irrelevant. There are a number of official wind reports that support my original post.

[Aaron]

[knocker]

Your problem not mine.

[Guest mycroft]

Sorry i meant elevated as to my location, it is 30m asl. i live on the outskirst of Exeter (west side of the river) and it feeels as if you go up a fair ways when ever i go east towards the airport.