Gusting

What it measures

The strongest gust forecast for this section: the peak, not the average. Gusts are short bursts above the sustained wind, each lasting a few seconds. When no gust is forecast the cell shows a dash on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and is left out on Android.

Why it matters on the road

A gust arrives without warning, which is why it is rated apart from the wind it sits in. You cannot lean into one you did not know was coming, and it is the peak rather than the average that moves a car out of its lane. Read it beside the wind, and take exposed roads and bridges with more care.

How it is marked

A mark describes this reading alone and does not change the section’s rating; see Severity.