Why has it been so windy recently?

With so much talk of wind recently, you may be left wondering exactly where it is all coming from.

All wind is the result of air moving. As the sun heats the planet, warmer air rises leaving an area of low pressure behind. Colder air is pulled into this area creating wind.

That is the simple explanation. This week, strong winds arrived due to a classic weather pattern sometimes referred to as the Atlantic Highway.

A low pressure over Iceland and a high pressure over the Azores are throwing icy polar air and warm tropical air at each other.

The dramatic temperature differences create a veritable Atlantic wind highway, running from far out in the Atlantic and into Europe, over the UK and Ireland.

This, in conjunction with an active jet stream, combined to deliver gale force winds for much of our two countries.