I read a REALLY BAD sci fi novel about a near impact once. In the novel an asteroid or comet passed close over the north pole. Some strange gravatational effect caused a large part of our atmosphere to be draw up over the north pole in some kind of freak super high pressure system.
Long story short. The atmosphere suddenly snapped back causing thousand+ MPH winds across the planet wiping out mankind.
You think that's bad?
Some yoyo wrote (and sold) a novel where there is a massive nuclear explosion near Antarctica, and the resulting radioactive water races over the world's oceans at 700 miles per hour...
Sounds like the UN general assembly on a typical day ...