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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YUP!
MichaelSTL from your site...
In the 1930s, people realized that the United States and North Atlantic region had warmed significantly during the previous half-century. Scientists supposed this was just a phase of some mild natural cycle, with unknown causes. Only one lone voice, the amateur G.S. Callendar, insisted that greenhouse warming was on the way. Whatever the cause of warming, everyone thought that if it happened to continue for the next few centuries, so much the better.
So what caused this noticed warming in the 1930's....????
I wonder if this is gonna show up on my credit report.....
Press now hold on.....2008 was a bad year...you mean you have a good credit score.....LOL
Usually a +2°C SST anomaly would lead to a much higher sea level, roughly 10-20cm higher than normal.
I have no published opinion in any blog on GW, nor do I agree/disagree with what presslord posted, I agree we can post what we want, as long as it is subject related. People on here also know I do not agree with what presslord posts at times, as he does not agree with some of mine. That being said... after reading your logic in adding Presslord to your ignore/ban/blocked list, because he does not agree with your holly script 100%, please add my name to your ignore/ban/blocked list also.
and you make an important philosphical point: people can disagree on things and still be cordial...
my wife and I have NEVER voted the same...we have fundamentally different political views...yet we have a damned good marriage...go figure...
That is the point I was trying to make.. at least it was seen :)
I am sure there are as many people on here who think you do the same thing.
I think that Global warming/Politics/Religion, are subjects best left off any civil blog.
hello all
new contest whos the first to get banned for 24 hrs this year
If we all agreed with each other - life would be rather bland.
However, one person claiming to have the only true position is either arrogance or ignorance, and probably doesn't belong on WU.
I figure I may have a lock on it :)
Especially if I respond to the Centre of the Universe comment :)
As you said..
"(although anybody can easily verify what is said in the articles, many don't bother)"
If they don't.. then they can think its just BS posted also.
I will now get off my box..and ask you guys to play nice.. there are two sides to every argument.
A while back I was watching something about an area very far north that had a very temperate climate due to the Gulf Stream. Seems to me it was an inlet area, where no ice formed, etc. Now I can't find it.
anyone heard of this? or was it my imagination?
England?
the First tropical cyclone of 2009?
Iceland?
Have been looking through lots of info - still don't see it. That will teach me - write stuff down when you see it.
No, the ringing noise is from the Cialis.. its one of the side effects.. that and your memory lose :)
That i know of (none) on WU but you can always catch Reed and his friends HERE or watch there videos on youtube.
Presslord, here's a suggestion for you. If you've got something to say, say it for all to hear and take responsibility for it. That's what the adults do where I come from. This passive aggressive nonsense of "it wasn't me that said it, I was just posting an article" gets old pretty quick. Care to grow a pair or you happy to keep wearing that dress?
Happy New Year.. glad to see you couldn't drop it after everyone else already has. I am truly sorry I will not be able to see anymore of your intellectual conversations this year.
Governmental responses to global warming are appropriate. - I am not sure know how much (if any) that the Global Warming is due to human activity - nor how long it will last.
Sorry, I misunderstood your point of view. I was commenting on the relevancy of governments to have agencies/departments that are concerned with environmental issues.
Whoa, whoa, whoa there, WhatMeWorry. I said that it was appropriate for governments to respond to the threat of Global Warming - how do you take that statement all the way to "carte blanche" to governments around the world??
What can I say to that?? Baaa.Baaa (bleat, bleat)
I did as you suggested and checked the National Academy of Sciences Website - Did a search on the site for "Global Warming" - Right off the bat - first article I read after doing a search of the site - and I quote (emphasis mine)
I tend to listen to all points of view. However, when someone negates all other points of view, or becomes insulting, I have a tendency to question the validity of that view point.
Tropical Cyclone Outlook
Region south of 10S and between 90E-110E
12:00 pm WDT January 2 2009
=============================================
A Tropical Low [Ex-Tropical Cyclone Billy] was located at 11am WDT near 14.0S 98.0E moving west, but is expected to remain below tropical cyclone intensity.
Tropical Cyclone Formation Potential
===================================
Saturday: Low
Sunday: Low
Monday: Low
No, so it ain't so, you're gonna put me on ignore orca? Geez...
You know me.. sweet and innocent :)
ergo the Halo :)
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