January 1, Hurricane Melissa Shatters Wind Records

Wyatt’s Take

• 252 mph wind gust recorded in Hurricane Melissa
• Record confirmed by U.S. weather experts
• Storm now ties as strongest ever to hit Atlantic land

A NOAA Hurricane Hunters flight measured a 252 mph wind in Hurricane Melissa, the highest ever recorded in any hurricane. The wind speed beats the previous world record set by Typhoon Megi in 2010.

The measurement was officially verified by the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Atmospheric Research, which invented and supplies the dropsonde weather instruments used to gather this data.

These dropsondes get dropped from aircraft into the heart of intense storms, sending back vital information like wind speed, pressure, and humidity to aid forecasting.

As Melissa closed in on Jamaica, Hurricane Hunters released multiple dropsondes, one of which clocked the historic reading. USNSF NCAR confirmed it is now the fastest hurricane wind ever measured directly.

This is another troubling milestone for Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that ties as the most powerful to hit land in the Atlantic basin’s recorded history.

Stay tuned for more updates and keep an eye on changing weather alerts.

Wyatt Matters

Weather like this reminds folks of our need to stand ready when the unexpected strikes. These records touch every life from farm to city, and Americans know how to rally when nature throws its worst at us.

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