This Blows: Mt. Washington vs. Barrow Island, Australia

**JMO** · 01-26-2010, 05:33 PM

VERY disturbing news from the World Meteorological Organization: Apparently, New Hampshire's Mt. Washington is no longer the world record holder for the highest wind gust ever recorded on land! Say it ain't so!

Geneva, 22 January 2010 (WMO) - According to a recent review conducted by a panel of experts in charge of global weather and climate extremes within the WMO Commission for Climatology (CCl) the record of wind gusts not related to tornados registered to date is 408 km/h (253 mph) during Tropical Cyclone Olivia on 10 April 1996 at Barrow Island, Australia. The previous record was of 372 km/h (231 mph), registered in April 1934 across the summit of Mount Washington, USA.

http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre...nfo_58_en.html

And it happened back in 1996?!?! WTF? What the hell has the WMO been doing for the past 13 years?

So this place

is now playing second fiddle to this place

Just seems so wrong. What are they going to do with all these signs now?

Edit: Doh! - fixed photos.

**SkiNowWorkLater** · 01-26-2010, 05:48 PM

I think your pictures are backwards?

**BigDaddy** · 01-26-2010, 06:07 PM

If it doesn't blow, it sucks.

**iceman** · 01-26-2010, 06:13 PM

You gotta remember that the anenometer on Mt. Washington broke when it hit 231, so the real top speed is a mystery. I heard it was at least 254, easy.

**Adominable Snowman** · 01-26-2010, 06:21 PM

Bugger me, that'd blow a few of those bloody bandicoots to the back of Bourke.

Happy Australia Day, beyotches! Now not only the best place in the world, but also the windiest.

**Lane Meyer** · 01-26-2010, 06:27 PM

That's right! Suck it America! It's Australia Day!

**fish** · 01-26-2010, 07:04 PM

oh shit this means all the textbooks have to be updated to new editions

Hugh Conway · 01-26-2010, 07:20 PM

I'd take Oz over New Hampshire any day

**lynchdogger** · 01-26-2010, 07:43 PM

The girls are certainly better looking but takes a hurricane to beat the hilltop? I call bullshit! Something smells funny here.

**jonesy** · 01-26-2010, 08:46 PM

Foul!

**KillingCokes** · 01-26-2010, 09:34 PM

Yummmmy Aussie Sluts.

**BenWA** · 01-26-2010, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

You gotta remember that the anenometer on Mt. Washington broke when it hit 231, so the real top speed is a mystery. I heard it was at least 254, easy.

My thoughts exactly.

**jamesp** · 01-26-2010, 10:10 PM

so build an anemometer that can measure proper wind gusts then. I hear you can buy heavy duty models in Australia...

**JMO** · 01-27-2010, 12:22 PM

The official reply from the folks at 6,288 feet:

"Like many Mount Washington Observatory fans, we were surprised to learn this news. While we certainly respect the work of the WMO Evaluation Panel and acknowledge the panel’s findings, it is natural to treat such news with a certain level of skepticism. We have received the supporting documentation and are eager to learn more about the group’s findings."
http://observatory.mountwashington.o...ld_record_wind

And a comment from Cara Rudio, the marketing coordinator:

"For once, the big news on Mount Washington isn't our extreme weather. Sadly, it's about how our extreme weather--our world record wind speed, to be exact--was outdone by that of a warm, tropical island..."
http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/comments/