Strongest winds

[Bocadude85]

Thought this might be a fun thread. What are the strongest winds you have personally experienced during a hurricane(sustained or gusts)? Mine would be in the 100-110mph range as Hurricane Wilma's eyewall came through Boca Raton.

[Extratropical94]

Not in a hurricane, but an extratropical cyclone:
149 km/h / 93 mph gust
~ 130 km/h / ~ 80 mph sustained
Both were measured using a hand anemometer.

[chaser1]

///strongest winds you have personally experienced during a hurricane(sustained or gusts

Hmm,
- "non exposed" - Hurricane Andrew - head and face firmly tucked between thighs inside fortified 1st floor bedroom (friend's home just W. of U.S.1 & SW 152 st Miami), winds - 150 mph - 160 mph sustained (gusts to "I didn't want to know")

- "exposed/watching" - Hurricane Charlie - chasing storm with friend and watching/filming from under hospital emergency room exterior drive-port. 140 mph sustained (gusts to 160 mph)
close 2nd place - Hurricane Hugo - chasing storm with friends in Luquillo, P.R. from tall oceanfront condominium 130 mph -140 mph sustained (gusts to approx. 160 mph)

- "exposed/idiot" - Hurricane Emily - small 3 story motel, waist deep in parking lot in Buxton, (near Cape Hatteras) N.C. - 75 mph - 85 mph (gusts to approx. 95 mph)

.........good times.......

[Hurricaneman]

110mph hurricane bob Plymouth Massachusetts it was very scary thinking a tree could end up in your bedroom

[Tireman4]

115 MPH with Alicia in 1983. Fun. Right in the eye... 95 MPH with Ike....eye too...

Oops, I forgot about Fran. Oops....75 MPH winds in Durham, NC.

[SouthFloridian92]

110 mph winds with Hurricane Georges. (1998) The eye went right over us, but the areas about 20 miles east of us had the worst winds, since they got more of the storm sprawls.

However, there were unofficial reports of wind gusts up to 125 mph with Wilma back in 2005.

[SFLcane]

150+mph andrew 1992 ( florida city)
70-90 mph with katrina ( Few more hrs over water and could have been a major before landfall in sfl)
wilma 80-100mph wilma in sfl

[hurricanehunter69]

118 mph...Hurricane Katrina. In Kenner LA Near New Orleans International airport.

[Riptide]

Thunderstorm micro-burst event while I was living in Florida. 2nd highest was Hurricane Sandy with a wind gust of 82 mph, higher winds were recorded north of my location and on Long Island.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst

[petit_bois]

True story... Jimmy (9) and his sister (7) were abandoned by their dad on a shrimp boat docked in Biloxi the night Camille came ashore. Boat sank and and he put his sister on his back and swam about 2 miles in RAGING seas and likely 180+ winds. Ended up clinging to the top of an Oak Tree in Ocean Springs (water was 20+ feet). Obviously both kids were turned over to the state and we adopted Jimmy. He lived with us for 4 years. What a hero he was.

A mans man... at the age of 9.

[StormTracker]

Hurricane Andrew (1992) Cutler Ridge (150-160 mph winds)
Hurricane Wilma (2005) The Redlands (80-100mph winds)
Hurricane Katrina (2005) The Redlands (70-90 mph winds)

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

In Florida -

Hurricane Andrew (1992), South Dade County (those long term members know the story) I think at least 150 mph sustained 175 mph gusts. Could have been even higher, the NE eye wall clip the exact area I was in.

At home -

The hybridstorm (november 2001) sustained winds 50 mph, frequent peak gusts to 85 mph. This system was subtropical and made up of hurricane Michelle, tropical storm Noel & a nor'easter.

[MGC]

Hurricane Betsy in New Orleans in 1965. My father decided to evacuate our home in New Orleans East. I remember it was dark. Driving HWY 90 into town, I got to see parts of building blow across the road, I remember the car rocking. It was crazy, I don't know how we were not killed by a falling tree. We got to the French Quarter and my Dad had to carry me across Royal Street and up to the 3rd floor. I remember the whole building shaking with every gust. My Mom was crying the whole time being a Jesery girl who had never been in a major hurricane before. Plaster started to fall from the ceiling just before I fell asleep. Woke up the next morning and walked to Canal Street and looked at all the damage. Reading the official report on the Betsy the winds were well over 100mph when the guage failed downtown.......MGC

[EmeraldCoast93]

Tornado spawned by Hurricane Georges hit my house in Shalimar, FL. Rated an F-1, from the damage I saw, probably upper F-1, so highest winds probably around 100-110 mph. I remember the house shaking violently, 30 seconds later it was over. Looked across the street and saw a large oak tree had fallen on my neighbor's house. 911 operators didn't believe us at first when my parents called in to report a tornado. They said, there was no warning (which was true), so there was no tornado. Then tons of calls came in and they sent cops out and realized there was significant damage, especially to the mobile home park a block away.

[StormingB81]

Super Typhoon Songda 2004 Iwakuni, Japan Sustained 115 Gusting to 135
Super Typhoon Songda 2011 Okinawa, Japan Sustained 110 Gusting to 130

Funny the storm was retired and I went through the same name storm 7 years apart both super typhoons...lol

[greenkat]

Hmm... This if very pathetic but, 20 mph from Fabio. DON'T JUDGE I LIVE IN SEATTLE!

[CrazyC83]

At my house, probably the 54 mph sustained wind recorded in Sandy (not sure gusts but guessing around 70 mph, perhaps a bit unrepresentative due to elevation above surface).

[vbhoutex]

Hurricane Flossy(56)-80mph
Hurricane Camille-60 mph sustained, gust to ?(90) in Gulf Breeze, FL (120 mi. or so from the center)
Hurricane Alicia- 90 mph gusts, 65 sustained, in the eye, Unknown highest as tornado went right over our house and I had no way of measuring winds.
Hurricane Ike- 75 sustained, gusts to 92mph. In the Western eyewall for over 6 hours.

[Blown Away]

Between Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma, I experienced many hours of 75-85 sustained winds and distinctly remember a few moments where I estimate the gusts were near 100+. There is an unsettling feeling when the winds approach 100 mph.

[vbhoutex]

Between Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma, I experienced many hours of 75-85 sustained winds and distinctly remember a few moments where I estimate the gusts were near 100+. There is an unsettling feeling when the winds approach 100 mph.

I agree fully. When the sturdy building you are in starts moaning or groaning and literally shakes with the gusts it is terribly unsettling!!!