Helen Edith Stephenson wrote:
My employer has recently banished me to Basildon, which means that
I'm taking a sudden interest in the wind component of weather
forecasts.

I know that the QEII Bridge was closed one day about a month ago
when wind speeds were approaching 30mph, and I wonder whether
there's any more reliable way of predicting bridge closures than
just checking the weather forecast.

I've got the provision to home-work occasionally, and I'd rather do
that than turn up at J3 (Swanley) and queue for an hour because
only one tunnel is carrying northbound traffic in the morning.

However, my boss will get upset if she thinks that I'm home-working
too often.

Later today (I can say that, as it's past midnight) the wind speeds
around the Thames Estuary appear to be peaking at 29mph in the
middle of the day, but 23mph towards the end of the morning peak
and at the start of the evening peak looks likely.

Not being much of an early riser (witness me sitting here at
midnight) I'm likely to be using the tunnel at about 9:30am and
wonder whether there's a website which disseminates information on
the status of the Dartford Crossing.

The site where you get your Dart Tag doesn't appear to carry that
sort of information, so the best bets are the BBC traffic news and
AA Roadwatch, but neither *predicts* a bridge closure - merely
reporting the ensuing delays after they have happened.

Does anyone have a favourite site which is more helpful?

The Highways Agency site says "In high wind situations the system allows
a progressive series of measures to be applied to restrict the speed and
position of vehicles on the bridge, and at very high wind speeds to
close the bridge and send all the traffic through the tunnels."

You could ask the HA at at what wind speed
the bridge closure occurs. (Or possibly
) I would imagine it would be
dependent on gust speeds rather than average wind speeds, and may also
depend on wind direction.

Predictions of wind speeds are probably best obtained from the Met
Office's short-term airport forecasts (TAFs - Terminal Aerodrome
Forecasts). The nearest airport is London City, with Biggin Hill and
Southend also quite near. You have to register to get access to these,
but there is no charge. For further details go to
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/ga.html

The TAFs include wind speeds and direction, including changes expected
during the forecast period. Significant gusting is also forecast, e.g.
27025G35KT, meaning wind from 270 degrees (westerly) at 25 knots,
gusting to 35 knots. There are also actual weather reports (METARs)
issued once or twice an hour, available from the same site.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)