Definition
Short-lived departures from the mean wind caused by turbulent mixing bringing faster-moving air down to the surface. Over open water gusts commonly reach 1.3 to 1.4 times the mean speed, and considerably more in unstable air behind a cold front or downwind of high land. Because forecast forces state means, a force 6 forecast implies gusts near force 8, which is the level a reefing decision should be based on.
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