Cycling UK Forum

Perhaps it's old age, but I think we are getting stronger and more frequent windy conditions. What do you think? I know the area where I live is a bit exposed to the draft from the Irish Sea, but I seldom get to ride in calm conditions these days.

Certainly seems to be this year. You should see my onions!

This year the wind, last year the rain'n'floods, year before the heat wave,next year what? Snow in July?

It's not just the wind, I've noticed when I'm out both running and cycling the hills are getting steeper too!

We're in for a more unsettled summer this year again due to the El Nina effect. Usually in the summer the Azores High dominates the weather but I doubt whether we'll see much of that this year.

Sorry!

groveller wrote:I think we are getting stronger and more frequent windy conditions. What do you think?

My girlfriend would agree with you - but she blames my diet rather than climate change

I had assumed it was mainly down to old age, which also is the most likely reason for the hills getting longer and steepr.

Si: what on earth has the wind done to your onions?

I agree that this year is windier than average. In my 57 years there have been years like this before but I feel they are coming nore often and the days of really damaging winds are increasing too! Is it cimate change/global warming? It doesn't matter, but there are more days when I need a windproof now than even five years ago.

It's getting windier, but at least only in one direction.
Yes, you've guessed - whichever way you're going it's facing you.

thirdcrank wrote:I had assumed it was mainly down to old age, which also is the most likely reason for the hills getting longer and steepr.

Si: what on earth has the wind done to your onions?

flattened, all of them, dreadful state, limp and flagid.
and my courgettes were having a right old flap in the breeze yesterday

(is "flagid" a word?)

Si wrote:(is "flagid" a word?)

A sort of cross between 'flaccid' and 'rigid'?

Just to make life easier click on this site before you leave home!
http://www.xcweather.co.uk/

It is windier and mainly in the afternoons. Global warming increases turbulence and this is at its maximum in the warmest part of the day, which is around mid afternoon.

This isn't caused by El Nino, which only really affects off shore Peru, but the same 7-year cycle that causes the El Nino effect also affects the jet streams, which in turn drive the highs and lows.

Sadly we can only expect an increase in wind though we should get calms too. Time for Shimano to give us lower gears.

Geoff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnr-135u84c

My comment wasn't about it generally becoming windier but a comment on this summer's weather.

El Nina is the commonly recognised as the cause for the jet stream being further south this year. Therefore atlantic high pressure systems are further south and low pressure systems travel across their northern edge towards the UK (instead of north of the UK in a typical summer). The effect is a 'windier' picture dominated by prevalent SW winds rather than the gentle easterlies which we can have for days/weeks with a more normal static Azores high at this time of year.

I hope this clarifies matters for you

Thanks, Wildduck. One of the reasons why 2008 is forecast to be cooler (yet still globally warming as a trend) than last year is because El Nino is NOT particularly influential this year. Plus the cooling La Nina in the Pacific is likely to be more important. It is moot whether to say our polar jet stream and the Tropical Jet streem are influenced by El Nino or the other way round. They are all part of the global system, but El Nino for all its fame is only one cyclical event among many.

Cheers

Geoff

I suggest you read around some meteorology sites which clarify my point for you.

I could go on to how the jet stream is formed and how climate phenomenom (such as El Nina) affect these but it gets a bit long winded and boring for me!