"I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore" -Dorothy Gale

The last few days have been very windy, but that in and of itself is not unusual for Galway.  My first clue that today’s wind was remarkable came this morning during low tide:  the water was choppy enough to splash up on the cement of the dock. 

I planned to go on an errand or two but as the wind blew so strong, I thought I might skip my midday excursion and settle back in my chair near the window and keep working.  I was quite productive this morning, but as the wind picked up even more and the tide came in, I was more and more distracted by the choppy and splashing harbor, the blowing sea water, the rhythmically rocking boats in the marina and the low and quick moving gray clouds overhead. 

I wanted more information, so I visited the Irish Meteorological Service website:  met.ie/.  While there I learned that there was a gale warning and today’s winds might reach up to 110 kilometers today; that’s up to 68 miles per hour.   Staying in seemed wise.

I searched the web for information on wind speed and learned that the Beaufort Scale categorizes wind speed as such:

            0            Calm                            < 1 mph

            1            light air                        1 – 3 mph

            2            light breeze                  4 – 7 mph

            3            gentle breeze               8 – 12 mph

            4            moderate breeze         13 – 17 mph

            5            fresh breeze                18 – 24 mph

            6            strong breeze              25 – 30 mph

            7            high wind,                  31 – 38 mph

                          moderate gale,

                          near gale                       

            8            gale,                            34 – 46 mph

                          fresh gale

            9            strong gale                   47 – 54 mph

            10          storm,                          55 – 63 mph

                          whole gale

            11          violent storm                64 – 72 mph

            12          hurricane-force            > or equal to 73 mph

My dad called me and I filled him in on the weather.  He said, “You have to go outside and experience this.”  He was right.   I put on my waterproof hiking boots and my hooded raincoat and, armed with my camera, went downstairs and out the door. 

The wind blew from the west, so my building was blocking the blast.  I walked slowly toward the harbor and gingerly stepped out from the protection the building offered.  The wind was breathtaking.  And awesome.  And crazy.  And overwhelming.  I leaned into it.  Way into it.  I got as close to the water as felt safe.  While I was likely overly cautious, I have little experience with ocean winds.  I wasn’t sure if I could expect a bigger gust that could push me in to the roiling harbor.   I soon sought the shelter of the building.

Taken while out in the storm

As I was heading back up to my apartment, I wondered about the view from the fifth floor community patio.  I decided that if I was nervous about going near the water’s edge, I should be doubly nervous about going out on a roof. 

I managed to accomplish some work this afternoon, but mostly I was mesmerized by the churning and splashing outside my window.  Things have quieted down some.   I don’t know how strong the winds actually were; I’ll check the news tonight* and find out, but based on the on-line descriptions and pictures, I’d say we had a “whole gale” for at least some of the afternoon. 


*Addendum:  I learned that the winds reached "storm or whole gale force" which is 55 - 63 mph.

Taken from my balcony

The wind blew the life ring from its case

A good Samaritan stopped his van during the storm and put the life ring back