APPENDIX D – TRANSPORT SCOTLAND/MET OFFICE WIND ANALYSIS RESULTS

To assist in analysing the trunk road network for other locations where wind management procedures may require to be developed, Transport Scotland have engaged with the Met Office to prepare a set of model results which provide comparative wind speed data information across the whole of the trunk road network and the local authority A-roads. The results, using Met Office data from 1971 to 2000, are presented as a series of monthly maps (graded in a colour-coded basis) indicating the comparative results for various wind speed and gust analyses. An example of a resultant map can be found within this appendix.

To derive the wind climate across Scotland, the Met Office utilised a range of statistical techniques to produce a gridded dataset at 1km resolution. The underlying wind speed data was extracted from the Met Office climatological archive. In addition, numerical modelling techniques developed by the Met Office were used in the process. The distribution of wind measuring sites across Scotland is not uniform, with some relatively ‘data sparse’ areas. In some locations this had an impact on the distribution of wind speeds produced by the grid. When using the outputs from this project it should be recognised that wind direction was not included as an input to the gridding process. Therefore it should not be assumed that the highly localised impact of wind direction on local wind speed is represented within the output.

In developing the terms and conditions for this work, Transport Scotland have secured agreement with the Met Office that this information can be made available to the local authorities (as a sub-licensing agreement) to assist them in identifying parts of their network which may require wind management procedures. To request further information please write to the following address:

Transport Scotland, Network Operations Branch, Buchanan House,
Glasgow G4 0HF

Winter mean wind speed map