Northern Ireland's longstanding record wind gust is almost certainly incorrect. (3rd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aylott, Lucy; Burt, Stephen; Saunders, Mark
• Is Part Of: Weather. Volume 75:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 8
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2019-10-03
• Subjects: Meteorology -- Periodicals; Weather -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 551.1
• DOI: 10.1002/wea.3613
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1656

Abstract

Abstract Online only: Accurate assessment of record extreme wind gusts is important for building design standards and for industries such as insurance and forestry. Here, we show that the current record wind gust for Northern Ireland – 108kn (56ms −1 ) recorded at Kilkeel on 12 January 1974 – is almost certainly incorrect and may have arisen from an instrumental error or a power surge. We deduce this from direct anemograph inspection and from a variety of indirect supporting evidence. We recommend that other longstanding UK record wind gusts should also be independently re‐examined to assess their veracity. Abstract : Accurate assessment of record extreme wind gusts is important for building design standards and for industries such as insurance and forestry. Re‐inspection of the archived anemograph in the image, together with indirect supporting evidence, shows that the current record wind gust for Northern Ireland – a gust of 108kn (56ms −1 ) recorded at Kilkeel on 12 January 1974 – is almost certainly incorrect. We recommend that other longstanding UK record wind gusts should also be independently reassessed for its veracity.