Posted on 04/12/2009 5:00:05 AM PDT by billorites
SARGENT'S PURCHASE – On this date, a tremendous gust blew over the roof of New Hampshire, a huge breath of air created by a series of remarkable weather patterns merging over the summit of Mount Washington and huffing its way to a world record that remains unbroken 75 years later.
"A lot of things came together on one day," said Mount Washington Observatory meteorologist Brian Clark, who has researched extensively what has become known simply as the "Big Wind."
"This was a once-in-100-years event," Clark said.
By early afternoon on April 12, 1934, the three observers at what was then the fledgling Mount Washington Observatory atop the 6,288-foot summit had spent an intense morning measuring ever-increasing winds, including a rare southwest wind, until one gust shook the wooden building at 1:21 p.m.
When they checked their instruments, the observers discovered the gust head measured an astonishing 231 mph.
"The actual title of the record is the 'highest wind ever recorded on the surface of the Earth by means of an anemometer,' " said Clark.
For perspective, 231 mph is three times greater than hurricane-strength winds.
On the Beaufort Scale, a wind-measurement system that goes from zero to 12, a Force 10 wind measures between 55 and 63 mph, at which point trees can be uprooted and considerable property damage can be sustained. Force 12 is 118 to 132 mph.
The Big Wind measured 99 mph stronger than the Beaufort Scale's highest level. Right place, right time
Earth is a big and diverse place, with geographical locations and meteorological conditions more extreme than anything in New Hampshire. Think Mount Everest, for example.
Clark suspects that a stronger wind might have blown somewhere on the planet over the decades, but in all the world through all these years, the only place where people actually recorded such a wind velocity was atop Mount Washington.
To that extent, the record is a testament to the three men atop the mountain that day -- Salvatore Pagliuca, Alex McKenzie and Wendell Stephenson -- as well as to the extraordinary strength of the wind itself.
The Observatory had opened only two years earlier, and the three men were among the first to take up residence on the summit, beginning a tradition of measuring the weather in the name of science and society.
"It would have been great to meet them," said Clark. "What these guys did was set the stage for what we are today."
The three men have passed on, leaving behind the world record they recorded -- a record that has withstood several challenges, the most serious a dozen years ago.
Ironically, McKenzie, who lived in Eaton and was the last surviving observer of the Big Wind, had died at age 89 only a few days before Typhoon Paka made a devastating sweep over Guam on Dec. 16, 1997.
A gust of 236 mph was recorded at Andersen Air Force base that day, but three months later, the National Climate Extremes Committee determined that the recorded wind was not accurate "and cannot be accepted as a world-record wind speed." The observatory today
The Mount Washington Observatory these days is located in the sturdy concrete confines of the Sherman Adams building at the summit, occupied by crews that spend one week on the mountain and one week off. They share the quarters with state-of-the-art equipment far evolved from what the 1934 observers had.
"We have the luxury of watching computer models," said Clark, explaining how moder-day observers know days in advance what will come over the summit. When high winds are expected, he said, "we get excited; we can see it coming."
And whereas the 1934 crew made its observations from a wooden building chained to the ground, today's observatory is better suited to withstand high winds -- although when they really get blowing, Clark said, it sounds like a freight train passing by.
The Big Wind is always a source of questions and intrigue on the part of visitors and those in the meteorological world.
"People always ask 'What's been the highest wind since 1934?'," Clark said.
For the answer, the record books from December 1980 are open to see: 182 mph. Other record winds include 180 mph in March 1942 and 173 mph in 1985.
"They ask why there is such a difference," he said. "This was something that happened in one day, when a lot of things came together and you can't expect that on a regular basis."
Holding the world record wind atop what is, a comparatively small mountain in the scheme of the world's geography, is a source of pride not only for the Observatory, but for Granite Staters in general.
"Some day the record will be broken," Clark said.
In the meantime, the observatory staff will celebrate this afternoon, which is predicted to be "not too terribly windy" at 50 to 60 mph, Clark said.
By early afternoon on April 12, 1934, the... Mount Washington Observatory atop the 6,288-foot summit... gust had measured an astonishing 231 mph. "The actual title of the record is the 'highest wind ever recorded on the surface of the Earth by means of an anemometer,' " said Clark.Everyone knows it's Windy.
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Gods |
A climate topic.By early afternoon on April 12, 1934, the... Mount Washington Observatory atop the 6,288-foot summit... gust had measured an astonishing 231 mph. "The actual title of the record is the 'highest wind ever recorded on the surface of the Earth by means of an anemometer,' " said Clark.To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. |
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Who’s peekin’ out from under a stairway
Calling a name that’s lighter than air
Who’s bending down to give me a rainbow
Everyone knows it’s Windy
I really didn’t like The Association (absolutely hate, detest, and despise “Cherish”), but as I’m always a sucker for vocal harmony, they remain a guilty pleasure, especially “Along Comes Mary”. :’) I remember their appearance on Ed Sullivan, a schtick introduction that was supposed to be clever. Don’t remember what song they did though.
Here is some actual video, taken shortly before the big wind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJQ18S6aag&feature=related
thanks hc.
you got it. along comes mary, ed sullivan show
Thanks!
This has got to be the dumbest sentence penned in quite a while:
“To that extent, the record is a testament to the three men atop the mountain that day — Salvatore Pagliuca, Alex McKenzie and Wendell Stephenson — as well as to the extraordinary strength of the wind itself.”
Gee, we only have 25 years before this will happen again.
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