Looking back at Hurricane Gustav's record 211 mph wind gust
As we look back at the weather events of 2008, perhaps the most impressive record set during the year occurred during Hurricane Gustav, which pounded Cuba as a Category 4 hurricane in August. Gustav set a new world record for highest wind gust ever measured in a hurricane. As Gustav passed over the Paso Real de San Diego meteorological station in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, on the afternoon of August 30, 2008, a wind gust of 211 mph (94.4 m/s) was recorded (it was originally pegged at 212 mph, but has been "downgraded" to 211 mph after an official review by the World Meteorological Organization). The powerful winds blew down the anemometer, and it is possible that higher gusts occurred after the instrument failed. Not only is this the highest wind speed ever measured in a hurricane, it is the second highest wind gust ever measured at a non-mountain location on Earth, and is the third highest wind gust ever measured on the surface of the planet. The highest wind gust in recorded history is the amazing 253 mph reading recorded on Barrow Island, Australia, during Tropical Cyclone Olivia in 1996. The second highest wind speed ever measured was 231 mph (370 km/hr) on the top of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, on April 12, 1934, during passage of an extratropical storm. The fourth highest wind gust on record was the 207 mph gust measured in Greenland at Thule Air Force Base on March 6, 1972. The previous highest wind gust measured in a hurricane was 186 mph at Blue Hill Observatory, Massachusetts, during the notorious 1938 "Long Island Express" hurricane.
Figure 1. Anemometer used to measure the record 211 mph gust in Hurricane Gustav. Gustav's powerful winds flattened the instrument against the roof of the observing station. Image credit: Jose M. Rubiera Torres, Instituto de Meteorologia of Cuba.
Is this a believable record?
The instrument used for the measurement in Gustav was a Dines pressure tube anemometer mounted on the roof of the weather office. According to Jose M. Rubiera Torres of Cuba's Instituto de Meteorologia, "The graph is neat and the instrument was in perfect technical working condition. The wind peaked up to 340 km/h and then the anemometer mast fell over the concrete roof of the station's building, sharply interrupting the measurement. The graph [Figure 2], shows that wind gusts were increasing at a regular pace with time, until the instrument broke down when it got to the 340 km/h mark." Dines anemometers have a proven track record of reliability, and have been used in Cuba for over 60 years. A formal committee under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) certified the record in 2009.
Figure 2. Trace of the Dines anemometer used to measure the record 211 mph gust in Hurricane Gustav. Image credit: Jose M. Rubiera Torres, Instituto de Meteorologia of Cuba.
How did such a strong gust occur?
At the time Hurricane Gustav moved over the Paso Real de San Diego meteorological station, the storm was rated a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph, gusting to 185 mph. When the peak wind gust of 211 mph was measured at 22:35 GMT, the western eyewall of Gustav was over the anemometer site, as seen on Cuban radar (Figure 3). The town of Paso Real de San Diego is at an elevation of about 40 meters, and lies 25 km inland, about 12 km south of a rugged line of mountains up to 700 meters high. The counter-clockwise flow of air around Gustav's eyewall meant that the winds arriving at Paso Real de San Diego were forced to pass over these mountains first. The mountains probably focused and accelerated the winds through gaps between the peaks, and the air accelerated further as it rushed downhill under the force of gravity. Strong downbursts due to collapsing precipitation cores inside Gustav's eyewall probably contributed to the extreme gusts. When hurricanes make landfall, the intense thunderstorm cells that comprise the eyewall sometimes collapse suddenly, sending a downward cascade of intense winds to the surface. When this rush of wind hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions, forming a strong surface wind event known as a downburst. It has been theorized that some of the extreme damage noted in Florida during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Andrew in 1992 may have been associated with downbursts from collapsing eyewall thunderstorm cells. This behavior may also be responsible for some of the extreme damage in Mississippi from Hurricane Katrina. Animations of infrared satellite imagery available from the University of Wisconsin CIMSS Satellite Blog show that the eyewall of Gustav collapsed during passage over the high mountains to the north of Paso Real de San Diego, but this occurred after the world record wind gust was measured.
Figure 3. Radar image of Hurricane Gustav (top) at 22:25 GMT on August 30 2008, five minutes before the world record 211 mph hurricane wind gust was measured. The site of the Paso Real de San Diego meteorological station where the record was set is marked with a red dot. A topographic map (bottom) shows the line of mountains up to 1200 meters high that lies just north of the town. The counter-clockwise flow of air around the eye of Gustav brought the strongest winds of Gustav across the mountain range then downhill to Paso Real de San Diego. Radar image credit: Instituto de Meteorologia of Cuba. Topographic map image credit: Wikipedia.
Note: this post was updated in 2010 to reflect the official WMO review of Gustav's wind gust, plus the addition of the new World Record wind gust set in TC Olivia in 1996.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Penny's Creek? Starts at the Stono were the Stono Marina is - and dead-ends somewhere in the marsh?
Does it! We tried one time, but became hopelessly lost. Getting dark. Trawling motor gave out. Closer to low tide, with the tide coming in. Here we are paddling with one oar back to the Stono (against the tide, of course - probably would have been just as easy to slog through the plough mud). No-See-Ums laughing in our ears.
I learned to take Penny's Creek tidal influence seriously when docking at Stono Marina. One might have the craft moving along at a nice slow pace, have everything lined up for docking. Then as you pass the entrance to the creek, you would be sucked toward the creek (in coming tide) or pushed back into the Stono (out going). Quite a surprise for the unaware. Not a problem for the bridge-side of the marina, but those on the south side learned fast.
I agree Bohicket is worse - just the layout of the docks makes it hazardous.
Fog has lifted here on the Charleston Peninsula.
Wondering how Severe made out last night - anyone know?
Fantastic! Did she get a chance to visit here?
I posted the question on LowerCal's blog -- he seems to check in frequently
is this the reformed presslord.....? I need to know if I have to put my halo on, and put my brain on filter
sounds like tub time ROTFL
MODIFIED - I suspect the difficulties we have faced (hurricanes, fires, war, pestilence, and earthquakes) probably tends to bring us together as well
LOL I could HEAR that!!!
I think his neighbors got a couple of inches in the house, though.
I think those pumps and the canals can only handle 1 inch the first hour and less than that in the following hours. They got 5.33 inches in about 3.5 hours.
Just the difficulties.... ???? howz about the pleasures..like mint julep tea, or southern hospitality...... (this has always intrigue the Northerner in me.... what exactly is Southern Hospitiality and does it follow behind the heels/sips of Southern Comfort.... all of which sound very inviting to my New York state of mind...or imagination
cough, cough -- OK back to the weather...w/out Orca overseeing me and my long run (which tames me --just ask spouse) I see myself getting into trouble or bum,bum, bum.... banned--
This is the best they can do -- bit unnerving -- how is it the Dutch have such an incredible system?
If you're wearing a REALLY ugly dress....we'll tell you how pretty it is...and then talk about what poor taste you have behind your back....
But always amended with a "bless her heart"
It is millions of gallons per minute, currently. And the pump design used worldwide is one that was invented in NOLA. I don't know what the Dutch system could handle. I know they have spent a lot more money on levees, but I am not sure about the pumps. I don't think they get the volume of rainfall that NOLA does.
How true!
STL has it not slowed to 2mm a year based on satellite measurements since 2005? Yes short time period, but so is 1993-2006.
"Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere by a variety of natural sources, and over 95% of total CO2 emissions would occur even if humans were not present on Earth."
TampaSpins Weather Blog Link
Thanks TampaSpin - appreciated as always
You to Presslord
watch out.. that only means he "floats" on dirty bathwater.
Sheesh.. I think you are now number 1 and 2, if you use both your nicks on the list
Where did everyone go????
Kinda lazy today. I think folks are in and out.
Thats what I have been doing....
Have to fix the laptop later... its "o" is sticking.. makes it hard to type.
Gotcha - When my son was young, we would need to pull the keys off and clean the keyboard fairly often. We got pretty efficient with it. Wish I had a dollar for every mouse we replaced, though.
Considering some of their reports at times,
'...And in the 1pm kickoff between the Phins and Ravens, it'll start sunny but by the third quarter Hurricane Rene will appear out of nowhere and explosively intensify while being magnetised towards Florida... expect heavy gusts and waterlogged conditions.'
:)
That is brilliant...absolutely brilliant...
A nice, lazy day going on here.
Scattered showers persist. The place is Damp and Muddy. The weeds are taking over. The car needs cleaning. The wife is Humming a Joyful Ditty.
I'm all right, Jack......
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