Climate change and headwinds.

ben@31
ben@31 Posts: 2,327
edited December 2015 in Road general
I was out on the bike the other day. Cursing the wind and thinking to myself how windy its been over the past few weeks. I haven't noticed the wind as much in previous years.
Has it been unseasonably windy or is this just typical conditions for the time of the year? Maybe its just more noticeable when cycling a lot.
Can milder winters cause more windy conditions ?

Should I take up kite flying instead?
"The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby

Comments

  • Can milder winters cause more windy conditions ?

    It's the opposite. Mild atlantic winds prevent a cold winter.

    It depends on the latitude of the jet stream... when Britain is in its path, you get strong winds and mild temperatures, that barely change from summer to winter. When the jet stream is below Britain, you get the cold air from the north, when it's above, you get the more typical continental Europe conditions
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  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    I know a few guys who work in shipping, they all started seeking land work some years ago, they said storms were becoming more frequent and they'd had enough. Some of these blokes have been in the industry 30+ years.

    Anyway, wind certainly seems a big feature of our weather in the last few years, I'd say it's definitely worse now then when I was a kid. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual published statistics say the same if I could be bothered to look 'em up :)
  • NATS_frequency.gif

    Problem is whether there are more named storms because there are or because we give a name to more storms... I'm inclined to think the latter
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  • ben@31
    ben@31 Posts: 2,327
    ...I'd say it's definitely worse now then when I was a kid. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual published statistics say the same if I could be bothered to look 'em up :)

    You just have to look at my Strava seg times...

    Struggling cycling East to West. But I'm like Peter Sagan when I'm commuting to work in the other direction.
    "The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby
  • I do think this Autumn has been particularly bad, but then this season is associated with wind.
  • We've had a few windy days but not as bad as spring where it was seemingly constantly windy all the time for about 2 months solid.
  • I do think this Autumn has been particularly bad, but then this season is associated with wind.

    I'm a windsurfer that rides bikes (not on the sea, obviously!) and I can tell you this Autumn has actually been particularly GOOD!

    It has been breezier this year than recent Autumns and Ugo has hit on the correct reasons. The Jet Stream has played ball this year and is just introducing low pressure system after low pressure system from the Atlantic which tends to mean warm, windy and wet!
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  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Interesting about the sailors and the storms.

    I've been cycling for >30 years now and the last few winters seem to have been windier than I can recall.
    Certainly I've had more missed rides due to high winds but I might just be getting more wussy in my old age.
  • rumbataz
    rumbataz Posts: 796
    This thread made me smile. I was going to change my username to 'headwind' on here! No matter which direction I cycle, run or walk in, there's a fair old headwind buffeting me.

    It's definitely more gusty these days than I can remember. The strength of the wind seems to a little stronger these days too.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 17,685
    If you want to look at historical data, this is quite a good site, as you can select dates for the past 20 years for any airport: http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/
  • I was out on the bike the other day. Cursing the wind and thinking to myself how windy its been over the past few weeks. I haven't noticed the wind as much in previous years.
    Has it been unseasonably windy or is this just typical conditions for the time of the year? Maybe its just more noticeable when cycling a lot.
    Can milder winters cause more windy conditions ?

    Should I take up kite flying instead?

    No and no. The Defra UKCP09 climate projections show that average windspeeds over England will decrease slightly towards the middle of the century, then pick up to about where they are now by 2100. So cycling should get a bit easier and kite flying less exciting for the next 30 years. Storms are a different matter and much harder for climate models to predict - they aren't any good at this. However, during a storm I'll cower indoors anyway.

    Vic
  • 6wheels
    6wheels Posts: 411
    Remembered reading this...

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/weather/11766178/Will-2015-be-Britains-windiest-year-in-two-decades.html

    There again, it's been so mild for the time of year.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    its too mild, the wind doesnt matter but we need some ice, my mums daff's are coming out........ plenty time i guess though.
  • NATS_frequency.gif

    Problem is whether there are more named storms because there are or because we give a name to more storms... I'm inclined to think the latter

    Those labels are all over the place! quite a bit wrong with that graph!
  • I don't think it has changed that much!
    Used to do a lot of windsurfing on a sinker back in the eighties.
    Some years are good ie. Lots of wind other years not so.
    One year got embarrassing as I used to have the afternoon of work if it was blowing force 6+ nearly used up all my holiday allowance one year..... Next to nothing the next year.
    Also if you move from one area of the country to another your perception changes. Where I live now, inland the people perceive a moderate breeze as being near gale force, I think it is just a zephyr
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    NATS_frequency.gif

    Problem is whether there are more named storms because there are or because we give a name to more storms... I'm inclined to think the latter

    Those labels are all over the place! quite a bit wrong with that graph!

    It's a ten year running average and it seems to label the mid point so seems OK.
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