Wind Gusts

[Babylon]

Looking at the weather for this weekend Met Office Southampton weather forecast. Sunday's forecast is for almost total calm (SW 1mph) but with gusts of 25mph! I don't quite understand what will cause this? Are they factoring in sea-breezes (these build steadily during the day, rather than gusting, don't they)? Or is this just an extreme example of the usual gusts (squalls) after a cold front has passed (but the cold front is due to pass overnight Friday)?
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[boatmike]

Angels farts.....

 

[johnalison]

Probably katabatic, coming down from the Hampshire Alps.

 

[Lakesailor]

AccuWeather doesn't agree
Neither does http://www.xcweather.co.uk/ (hover over the nearest arrow)

 

[l'escargot]

Common phenomena on the north coast of the Isle of Wight if there is any south in the wind, the Hampshire Alps theory has now been discredited. Apparently the wind funnels through the Trans-Vectis Canal. Residents of Ventnor can suddenly find themselves in Cowes and have to borrow a bike to get back home. Not a problem on Tuesdays (market day) as they can pick up some shopping and it saves a bus trip, but causes problems on some other days depending on whether the fish processing plant in Ventnor Haven has achieved it's quota. If there is any north in the wind and the opposite happens, the result doesn't bear thinking about and can be messy. Has also been known to result in protracted court cases. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[johnalison]

Thanks for that fascinating account. It reminds me of Bornholm, where the wind in the lee of the island is reputed to be stronger than to windward.

 

[l'escargot]

An interesting similarity between Bornholm and the Isle of Wight is that they both have an unofficial flag:

Isle of Wight

Bornholm

Although as you can see, there is in fact no similarity in the two flags. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif