Maximum wind velocity of convective wind gusts The method of Ivens (1987) is used by the forecasters at KNMI to predict the maximum wind velocity associated with heavy showers or thunderstorms. The method of Ivens is based on two multiple regression equations that were derived using about 120 summertime cases (April to September) between 1980 and 1983. The upper-air data were derived from the soundings at De Bilt, and observations of thunder by synop stations were used as an indicator of the presence of convection. The regression equations for the maximum wind velocity (w_max ) in m/s according to Ivens (1987) are:

• if T_x - θ_w850 < 9°C

  w_max = 7.66 + 0.653⋅(θ_w850 - θ_w500 ) + 0.976⋅U₈₅₀
  

• if T_x - θ_w850 ≥ 9° C

w_max = 8.17 + 0.473⋅(θ_w850 - θ_w500 ) + (0.174⋅U₈₅₀ + 0.057⋅U₂₅₀)⋅√(T_x - θ_w850)

where

• T_x is the maximum day-time temperature at 2 m in K
• θ_wxxx the potential wet-bulb temperature at xxx hPa in K
• U_xxx the wind velocity at xxx hPa in m/s.

The amount of negative buoyancy, which is estimated in these equations by the difference of the potential wet-bulb temperature at 850 and at 500 hPa, and horizontal wind velocities at one or two fixed altitudes are used to estimate the maximum wind velocity. The effect of precipitation loading is not taken into account by the method of Ivens. (Source: KNMI)