First 100 mph Wind

2011-02-15 16:14:46.000 – David Quigley,  Summit Intern

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Today I experienced my first 100+ mph wind. I woke up at 6:30 AM to find that some exciting weather had arrived. At the time, winds were sustained in the high 80s, gusting to the high 90s. We were in the fog until late morning, so a majority of the early morning was spent monitoring the pitot. The pitot tubes were collecting moisture in the morning, making it necessary to pump on multiple occasions. This explains the extreme lows in the 24 Hour Wind Speed History and Hays Chart. When we got in the clear, the pitot problems ended and we were able to enjoy the weather.

Once in the clear, winds were averaging 100 with gusts into the mid 110s. Stacey and I climbed up to the parapet to experience some gusts and deice. I was obviously excited because it was my first opportunity to experience 100+ mph wind. To my surprise, Stacey was just as excited. It seems that high winds bring excitement no matter how used to them one may be. Holding onto the parapet and facing into the wind is breathtaking, literally and figuratively. Examining the database after climbing back down revealed that we had a peak gust of 110.4 mph while on the tower. I was surprised by how much more powerful this wind felt than the 90 mph wind I experienced Saturday night in the parapet.

Some other things that surprised me about today’s weather:

1. While on the parapet, my goggles were blown off of my head despite them being covered by my hood.

2. The wind is unbelievably loud. Steve is vacuuming right now, and it is nearly impossible to discern the sound of the vacuum from the sound of the wind. The wind has been very gusty. The sound will suddenly change to silence, making it seem as if the wind has totally stopped. In reality, the apparent silence is caused by the wind dropping from 100 to 70.

3. My desk is vibrating as I am writing this comment.

David Quigley,  Summit Intern