I’ve only just started paying attention the what the numbers mean in the last year or so.
I remember it being 40kph last year and watching it out the window waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.
Now I’ve seen as high as 47mph on Beeb Weather and a weather warning, so this should be like 60 to 70kph winds, almost double last time.
Can I expect my neighbours furniture to go flying or a bin to roll down the road or something this time?
40mph winds are effectively the same as driving a car along at 40mph and sticking your hand out of the window. It’s strong, but not “hurricane” territory. Anything that’s not sensibly stored and tucked away might get blown about.
But it’s also worth noting that when they say “47mph wind” they don’t (necessarily) mean a constant wind at that strength. Wind usually comes and goes in gusts, and that will be the predicted speed of the gusts at their strongest point. So it might gust up and knock a wheelie bin over, but then ease off again rather than carrying it down the street Wizard of Oz style.
Oh ye, destroyer of dreams.