Stealth Pilot wrote:

you should be able to fly in conditions where the windsock is
horizontal from any direction.
(obviously you change runway ends when it is from behind)

the scariest ????? (scariest isnt the right word here, you shouldnt
ever be scared because you have been trained)
the most demanding conditions are turbulence and gusting winds.

the winds dont go away just because you arent up to speed with the
demands so you should read up on the correct technique and then
practise in increasingly more difficult conditions.

I would like to point out that being trained doesn't mean that you're
safe handling the aircraft. It means you're aware of the hazards and
you know your limits. Being scared is a sign that you ought to land
somewhere else.

That said, I agree with your assessment that winds can surprise you. It
is good to practice with an instructor on a windy winter day.

I've landed without incident in 25G40 conditions with the runway about
30 to 40 degrees off of the wind direction. The only surprise was after
slowing to about 15 MPH, my aircraft weathervaned toward the right.
There was a high speed taxiway right there in front of me. Instead of
braking, I kept going and stopped on the taxiway. Once I came to a
stop, my airspeed indicator was still reading about 35 MPH from the gust
(I was now facing straight in to the wind).

My personal rule of thumb in the Baltimore area is that if the winds are
blowing 30 knots or greater at 3000 over EMI, I will evaluate my options
very carefully. Above 35 knots I will usually stay put. My reasoning
is that turbulence and LLWS are likely to get pretty dicey when the
winds blow that hard.

Bottom line: A good pilot uses experience to know when to stay on the
ground and training to deal with the unexpected. I have experience in
turbulence, LLWS, and gusty winds, but I won't launch in to it
deliberately. That's one of the nice things about flying for fun. If
it doesn't look like fun, don't do it.

Jake Brodsky