Huge tree uprooted on common (From Wandsworth Guardian)
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Huge tree uprooted on Putney Common
12:10pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News
The tree uprooted on Putney Common
A huge tree has been uprooted on Putney Common after last night's high winds.
The tree, which is at least 30ft high, was situated near the junction of Lower Common South and Willow Farm Lane.
According to the Met Office, UK's National Weather Service, south-westerly winds overnight peaked at 31mph at 7am this morning - gusts reached 46mph.
Fortunately, because it fell during the night, no one appears to have been hurt.
This pales into insignificance, however, compared to the speeds measured in Fair Isle, in the Shetland Isles, which saw wind speeds of 57mph with gusts reaching 86 mph this morning.
The highest recorded gust at a mountain site was 135 mph at Cairngorm Summit, in the eastern Highlands of Scotland.
The Beaufort Scale measures wind speeds as follows:
High winds: 31–38 mph
Gale: 39-46 mph.
Strong gale: 47-54 mph.
Storm: 55-63 mph.
Violent storm: 64-73 mph.
Hurricane: 74 mph upwards
