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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Now, what is the SOLUTION ??
I accept that you have credible scientific information showing an increase in greenhouse gases and the effect it has on surface temperature. However, your acceptance of that data has somehow become a refusal to look at any other data that might also have an influence.
Here is an analogy.
You go to the doctor with shortness of breath. He listens to your lungs hears the wheezing, has you go to the pulmonary lab to test your lung capacity, inspiratory and expiratory flow rates. Based on that scientific data, he determines that you have obstructive pulmonary disease (which you do). You are placed on broncho-dilators and steroids.
The diagnosis was made and no further study was done.
Turns out that you also had an infection, that had exacerbated your pulmonary disease - not recognized - not treated.
That is what you are doing. You look at only one grouping of scientific data. Because it gives you the answer you had already believed in - you look no further.
I have had a chance to check out the NASA GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (reference for your graphs)
The narrative explains the way the analysis works and confirms a warming trend over the last 100 years or so. ("global cooling after 1940 was small, and there was net global warming of about 0.4%uFFFDC between the 1880s and 1970s.")
You were using the site primarily for accurate graphics so we will not belabor the point that the report does not address the cause(s) of global warming.
On that page if you follow the link to the preliminary discussion and scroll down to the last paragraph, the report mentions the importance of ranking years (warmest etc). I quote
"Finally, we note that we provide the rank of global temperature for individual years because there is a high demand for it from journalists and the public. The rank has scientific significance in some cases, e.g., when a new record is established. However, otherwise rank has limited value and can be misleading. Note that, given our estimated error bar in Figure 1, we can only say that 2008 probably ranks as somewhere between the 7th and 12th warmest year. As opposed to the rank, Figure 3 provides much more information about how the 2008 temperature compares with previous years, and why it was a bit cooler (note the change in the Pacific Ocean region)."
(Recent history)
I had hoped that we could find some point of agreement (That reasonable people could disagree)- alas it does not appear to be in the cards.
Michael - You get the last word! ;)
Looking forward to it. - This will be a Futuremet Production?
lol yes
Yes I agree Global warming is happening, and it might just be a trend. Look at the past global temperatures; we are in a pseudo ice age compare to back then. This global warming theory is just too overhyped.
Well,Actually we've been Monitoring the WU-Blogs for some time now.
But as we see it in the future,..Dec 2012 will present some real challenges for the Human Race.
But enjoy your blogging for now..
Thank you. Finally someone else is saying what I've been saying all along.
The real question is not whether global warming is real - it probably is. The question is not how we reduce CO2 emissions - even if we can, it probably won't stop global warming anyways. The question is: How do we, as humans, deal with the change?
Great answer
There is just too many problems in this world, it is overwhelming.
LOL you are taking this too seriously
The universal truth is that, Humans cannot solve the global issues today. A harder life in the future is inevitable.
You are right, population will continue to grow and strain our resources and ecosystem. YET WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
For over 6000 years humans have established numerous governances, yet none bring peace. For thousands of years technology advanced exponentially, yet it is being used for more bloodshed (nukes). These technologies also hasten global warming (factories..coal).
In a sense, we are destroying oursevles, and there is nothing we can do about it, even if we want to what is good.
THE ABOVE QUOTE bears repeating......
Skye also walks her talk...visit her blog and learn how you can be pro-active.....
I'm done with this, I'll try not to get involved in the "doom's day drama".
I'll focus more on the current weather conditions.
~Thanks GulfPoet
Just wanted to be sure that No One was misled ;)
Lol
GW is becoming too tedious here.
Since there are no tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, Does this happen every winter?
First year here in the blog.
Global warming, population explosion, and abortion all on one page.
Futuremet -- I second Poet's thoughts regarding your post 418.
Personally i do think that global warming is occouring and i may or may not be occouring naturally, but ever since the industrial revolution the enviromrnt has been on a downslope due to human involvement. My biggest issue with the subject isnt weather or not humans are making the world warmer, but is rather the envirometal disttruction and species extinction caused by pollution, cars, over population,wars and deforestation. As saf as im concerned those issues are having a bigger impact
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 2009!!
I have to admit that I contributed to keeping the topic going. I will try not to get sucked in again folks.
Talk about a vortex!
On a lighter note- did everyone catch post# 353. fireflymom
Dr Jay Explains
There is another theory that the earth's core is constantly producing oil and natural gas that is gaining plausability. Albeit it might not be at the rate at which we are consuming those. (No I don't have time to produce links now as I have errands to run. One should not have any trouble Googling this theory)
Thats why i just try not to worry about it. Do my part about conservation, and try to let others know, but right now im alive, so why complain?
ok. Are there any vortexes out there today? I haven't checked. How about that 99W character? is it like an invest or a T.storm? looks like it has some impresive clod tops for being under 35kts ;)
Tropical Disturbance Summary (1800z 02JAN)
============================================
An area of convection (94S) located at 21.6S 36.2E or 635 NM west-southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar. Recent animated multispectral satellite imagery shows that an obscured low level circulation center has migrated over the open waters of Mozambique Channel. Convection has been sporadic about the low level circulation center due to marginal upper level support, land interference, and to a less extend low ocean heat content. A 0401z Quikscat Image resolves a weak low level circulation center positioned near land with strong surface confluence to the south. A 1212z TRMM Microwave image shows definite turning with the bulk of deep convection located to the south of the low level circulation cneter corresponding to the line of covergence analyzed on Quikscat.
Maximum sustained winds near the center is 18-22 knots with a minimum sea level pressure of of 1007 MB. The potential for this disturbance to form into a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is POOR.
Weather Advisory no. 01
For Low Pressure Area
Issued at 5:00 p.m., 02 January 2009
The low pressure area estimated at 340 kms east of Eastern Visayas (11.0N 129.0E) is expected to bring frequent rains over Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao. This weather disturbance will continue to persist in the next 2-3 days.
Resident along the flood and landslide prone areas are advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures.
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED AT 5:00 PM TOMORROW
Things that make you go hmmmm...
http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=13834
Rapid growth spurt leaves amount of ice at levels seen 29 years ago.
Thanks to a rapid rebound in recent months, global sea ice levels now equal those seen 29 years ago, when the year 1979 also drew to a close.
Ice levels had been tracking lower throughout much of 2008, but rapidly recovered in the last quarter. In fact, the rate of increase from September onward is the fastest rate of change on record, either upwards or downwards.
The data is being reported by the University of Illinois's Arctic Climate Research Center, and is derived from satellite observations of the Northern and Southern hemisphere polar regions.
Each year, millions of square kilometers of sea ice melt and refreeze. However, the mean ice anomaly -- defined as the seasonally-adjusted difference between the current value and the average from 1979-2000, varies much more slowly. That anomaly now stands at just under zero, a value identical to one recorded at the end of 1979, the year satellite record-keeping began.
Sea ice is floating and, unlike the massive ice sheets anchored to bedrock in Greenland and Antarctica, doesn't affect ocean levels. However, due to its transient nature, sea ice responds much faster to changes in temperature or precipitation and is therefore a useful barometer of changing conditions.
Earlier this year, predictions were rife that the North Pole could melt entirely in 2008. Instead, the Arctic ice saw a substantial recovery. Bill Chapman, a researcher with the UIUC's Arctic Center, tells DailyTech this was due in part to colder temperatures in the region. Chapman says wind patterns have also been weaker this year. Strong winds can slow ice formation as well as forcing ice into warmer waters where it will melt.
Why were predictions so wrong? Researchers had expected the newer sea ice, which is thinner, to be less resilient and melt easier. Instead, the thinner ice had less snow cover to insulate it from the bitterly cold air, and therefore grew much faster than expected, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
In May, concerns over disappearing sea ice led the U.S. to officially list the polar bear a threatened species, over objections from experts who claimed the animal's numbers were increasing.
Things that make you go hmmmm...
Very interesting. Let's see what Dr. M has to say about this?
STL what is the rate since 2005? Short time period yes, but so is 1993-2006. I believe it has slowed to 2mm per year do you concur? Or is that also bogus info?
Quote: "Now I have really had it - you won't be seeing me reply anymore from now on, forever."
Post # 413, MichaelSTL, 8:04 PM GMT, Jan 02,09
Quote: "Not that again..."
Let me see if I have my scientific facts correct here. FOREVER = 24 minutes. Less the time it took to hit the quote button, type 27 lines of type, and insert the link.
Hmmm, somehow I always thought forever was a little bit longer than 24 minutes. But forever can't be measured due to its very definition. Intolerance however, now that can be identified by the very words we use, and the petulant way we reply to our fellow man. It exposes our lack of judgement and maturity and tends to sully our reputations. It can be overcome if one puts enough effort into it. If we are "all" willing to put enough effort into it.
Greenhouse Effect Poppycock
the solution to the nonexistent problem is as follows....
NASA's Hansen to Obama: Use Global Warming to Redistribute Wealth
meanwhile, truth has a way of dampening things...
Global Warming? New Year Ushers in New Snowfall Records
but, but, but...the Medieval Warm Period didn't occur...it couldn't have been hotter then than now without SUVs...
An Eighteen-Hundred-Year Climate Record from China
OMG!! what heresy!!!
Variations in sun’s radiation affect global warming, cooling
but hey, the GISS temperature record is untouchable....doh!
AGWer's data couldn't be contaminated, could it????
If the Earth feels that we are threatening it it will shke us off like a dog with fleas, just like 99% of the other species that have lived before us.
Sometimes I feel like Humans,.. myself and many Billions more,..are kinda Like Phat Ticks on a tired Bloodhound.
Use up and destroy the Host,..and well..you kinda get the picture.
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