West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

The forecast SW gales for the 9th didn't materialise, in fact I couldn't find anywhere that topped gale force that day, though I suspect some westernmost cliff tops might have scraped a F8. In Penzance even the maximum gust was only 38mph, much as the 36mph recorded on 11th. Culdrose just topped 50mph

Different story evolving today.

Scilly
13:00 40mph S
15:20 12mph NW
16:20 44mph NW
and those are mean speeds, so we really are talking a gale for a change.

MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00 http://www..metoffice.gov.uk/weather...t_weather.html , hopefully that's a slight overestimate, but worth watching.

The eye of the storm has given some recent sunshine, and shows up well on http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/satpics/latest_uk_vis.html (15:00 & 16:00 images)

Some interesting weather.

Graham
Penzance

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On 14/05/2013 17:13, Graham Easterling wrote:
The forecast SW gales for the 9th didn't materialise, in fact I couldn't find anywhere that topped gale force that day, though I suspect some westernmost cliff tops might have scraped a F8. In Penzance even the maximum gust was only 38mph, much as the 36mph recorded on 11th. Culdrose just topped 50mph

Different story evolving today.

Scilly
13:00 40mph S
15:20 12mph NW
16:20 44mph NW
and those are mean speeds, so we really are talking a gale for a change.

MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00 http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/...t_weather.html , hopefully that's a slight overestimate, but worth watching.

Only once was I in St Ives when there was a real gale - it was pretty
bracing! :)
--
Regards,

Paul Hyett

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

At Lands End - From cyclonic calm to 69 mph in 15 mins 1700 - 1715 !

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 5:24:23 PM UTC+1, John Chappell wrote:
At Lands End - From cyclonic calm to 69 mph in 15 mins 1700 - 1715 !

I notice your average wind speed is now in F9 territory. I looked at the St. Martin's Lowertown Cam at 15:00 and the sea was glassy, the change an hour later was just incredible.

Graham

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00 http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/...t_weather.html , hopefully that's a slight overestimate, but worth watching.


Recent gust of 65 knots at St. Ives, so that forecast looks like being close.

Also 70mph at Land's End

I don't think I've ever known calm to gale force conditions happen so quickly.

Gusting 45-50mph currently here in Penzance where the wind's offshore, but still tending to increase. I've already seen small branches come off the trees across the stream from me. Strongest winds in May here since at least 2004.

Graham
Penzance

http://www.sennen-cove.com/harbourcam.htm

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 6:24:49 PM UTC+1, Graham Easterling wrote:
MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00

Just noticed a webcam with a wider view - not sure if it's widely known, but it gives a very good overview of what's happening at the moment. (You may need to wait a short while as the webcam pans round).

See: http://www.sloop-inn.co.uk/sennen-webcam.asp

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On May 14, 6:40*pm, Tom wrote:
On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 6:24:49 PM UTC+1, Graham Easterling wrote:
MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00

Just noticed a webcam with a wider view - not sure if it's widely known, but it gives a very good overview of what's happening at the moment. *(You may need to wait a short while as the webcam pans round).

See:http://www.sloop-inn.co.uk/sennen-webcam.asp

I am a waiting a left hook here in Wembury, SW Devon.

It shows well on the radar
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

It's not going to knock me out.
I'll duck and weave.

Len

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On May 14, 7:44*pm, Len Wood wrote:
On May 14, 6:40*pm, Tom wrote:

On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 6:24:49 PM UTC+1, Graham Easterling wrote:
MetO is currently predicting gusts of 81mph fot St. Ives @ 19:00

Just noticed a webcam with a wider view - not sure if it's widely known, but it gives a very good overview of what's happening at the moment. *(You may need to wait a short while as the webcam pans round).

See:http://www.sloop-inn.co.uk/sennen-webcam.asp

I am a waiting a left hook here in Wembury, SW Devon.

It shows well on the radarhttp://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

It's not going to knock me out.
I'll duck and weave.

Len

Cornwall took some sting out of it.
Highest gust 41 knots here.
I'm still standing.

Len
Wembury, SW Devon coast

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

On 14/05/13 18:24, Graham Easterling wrote:

I don't think I've ever known calm to gale force conditions happen so quickly.


If you use your imagination it looks a bit like the eye of a hurricane
passing over the SW peninsula on satellite imagery. I guess the rapid
increase in wind speed was from the passage of the eye as the low centre
tracked across you to the rain and strong winds on the back side of the
low, possibly enhanced by a sting jet.

I'm curious as to how much more potent (if at all) this low would have
been had it developed in the winter with more baroclinic energy to feed off.

West Cornwall gales - bit exciting.
 

I don't think I've ever known calm to gale force conditions happen so quickly.

If you use your imagination it looks a bit like the eye of a hurricane
passing over the SW peninsula on satellite imagery. I guess the rapid
increase in wind speed was from the passage of the eye as the low centre
tracked across you to the rain and strong winds on the back side of the
low, possibly enhanced by a sting jet.

I'm curious as to how much more potent (if at all) this low would have
been had it developed in the winter with more baroclinic energy to feed off.

Maybe this? http://www.sennen-cove.com/10march08.htm

It occured to me that the pressure gradient only went some way to explaining the wind strength and it's incredibly rapid onset.

The rapid fall in temperature was also notable, in Penzance from around 10C to 5.7C in 30 minutes.

Even away from the north coast, the exposed parts of west Cornwall saw 70mph.
Culdrose reported a mean speed of 46mph, gusts to 67mph @ 19:00, the peak was slightly earlier. Sevenstones was reporting mean speeds of 7mph @ 15:00, 58mph @ 16:00, so a F10 over the sea. The strongest gust I've seen on land was a 75mph at St. Ives.

Graham
Penzance