Why so windy?

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Can anyone explain why it's been so windy today?

It's not that uncommon to have a windy day in Spring (a Spring zephyr as Pooh might call it) but it would normally be squally and not quite so persistently strong.

A clear sunny day and a mighty wind seemingly coming out of nowhere.

Perhaps it's one for Papa Lazarou?

 

[Basil Fawlty]

When the wind died down today, the sun was lovely and warm but it felt like siberia when the wind got up again, it was f***ing freezing.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

And to think, there's a bunch of secondary school leavers out camping at Stanmer Park Nature with its finest timing.

 

[johnhammond]

High pressure north of Scotland, low pressure down over Spain; and the strong change in pressure over a relatively short distance means strong winds (the closer the lines are together gives a sense of how strong winds will be).

And it felt like Siberia because the air started off somewhere back in that general direction if you follow the lines.

Lastly, it was sunny rather than squally because we're under high pressure (sinking air, generally clear skies) rather than low pressure (rising air, cloudy and wet).

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

I was at the cricket at Hove yesterday and have a great tan this morning !

I think that wind on a clear sunny day helps though no idea why !!

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Thanks for the explanation of what is happening JohnHammond. I'm interested to know why? It seems so unseasonal.

 

[strings]

Makes sense - it has been very windy in Wolverhampton / Walsall for the last few days.

 

[johnhammond]

Thanks for the explanation of what is happening JohnHammond. I'm interested to know why? It seems so unseasonal.

It's definitely unseasonal. This kind of setup is much more common in February/early March (and would have brought feet of snow had it happened then). The jet stream is unusually strong (and far south) for this time of year, which has helped increase the pressure difference between the low and high. With a weaker jet and in a month or two's time this would be close to setting up a heatwave.

I've not been paying too much attention to things back home so I'm not sure what lead to strong jet (there could be lots of reasons for this)/where the systems came from etc. Good luck with another windy day!

 

[siclean]

tried fly my kite...but got carried away

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Cheers johnhammond

 

[captainmorganrum]

Cheers johnhammond

Not THE John Hammond?
BBC - Weather Centre - About BBC Weather - Biographies - John Hammond

 

[Titanic]

Not THE John Hammond?
BBC - Weather Centre - About BBC Weather - Biographies - John Hammond

"John and his son Fred are devoted Manchester United supporters."

 

[Gritt23]

It's probably due to global warming etc. Whatever, let's blame it on the car owners. That seems to be the way of things these days.

 

[Don Quixote]

I did GCSE geography and i got a C so i think i am most qualified to answer this question. There is low pressure so henceforth there is a lot of air needed so you get WIND. I hope that helped.