escaped
Yes, winds of 50 - 60 knots, equating to 7 on the Beaufort scale, near gale force, would explain why there were fewer in August 2024 as well. The crossings are undeniably weather dependant, so the figures are somewhat skewed.
I’ll say it again. It’s the trend you need to look for. One day’s figures is a nonsense comparator, one month’s figures can be due to specific factors, one season’s figures can be due to weather, although unlikely for three consecutive months, one year’s figures is a reasonable way to look at whether change is happening.