January 22, 2010 - After a recent review conducted by a panel in charge of global weather and climate extremes within the World Meteorological Organization Commission of Climatology (CCI), there is a new world record for maximum wind gust not related to tornadoes. The new record is 253.5 mph achieved during Tropical Cyclone Olivia on April 10, 1996 at Barrow Island, Australia. The previous record was 231 mph at Mount Washington, New Hampshire on April 12, 1934.
The panel of experts (Dr. Pierre Bessemoulin, MeteoFrance and President of CCl; Dr. Tom Peterson, NOAA National Climatic Data Center; Dr. Blair Trewin, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Dr. Jose M. Rubiera Torres, Cuban Instituto de Meteorología; Dr. John (Jack) Beven, USA National Hurricane Center; Dr. John King, British Antarctic Survey; Dr. Randy Cerveny, Arizona State University and CCl Rapporteur of Climate Extremes) came to the conclusion after an extensive review and evaluation of instrumental and statistical data.
