This paper examines the extreme gust profiles obtained by conditionally sampling full-scale velocity data obtained in the lower part of the atmospheric boundary layer. It is demonstrated that three different types of behaviour can be observed in the streamwise component of velocity. In all cases the corresponding vertical velocity component illustrates similar behaviour. An idealised horseshoe vortex model and a downburst model are investigated to examine if such structures can explain the behaviour observed. In addition, an empirical model is developed for an isolated gust corresponding to each of the three types of behaviour observed. It is possible that the division of the gust profile into three different types may lead to an improvement in the correlation of extreme gust events with respect to type.