April 12 - National Big Wind Day

Happy National Big Wind Day! On April 12th, today is observed each year in the United States to commemorate the recording of the highest natural wind gust measured on the Earth’s surface.   

  

On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, the Mount Washington Observatory recorded winds at two hundred and thirty-one miles per hour! 

  

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft, and it is the most prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. 

Observers Wendell Stephenson, Alexander McKenzie and Salvadore Pagliuca reported the wind gusts in 1934 from the Mount Washington Observatory. The record even held for several decades.  

In 1984, the observers returned to the observatory to celebrate the record-breaking wind’s fiftieth anniversary.  

Then in 1996, the big wind award from atop Mount Washington fell. A typhoon struck a small island off of Australia with wind gusts of two hundred and fifty-six mph! 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Hold on to your hat and share stories of windy day events. Visit an observatory near you to find out more about how they study atmosphere changes, weather, and wind changes. Use this day to learn more and use #NationalBigWindDay to post on social media. 

HISTORY 

While the day celebrates the anniversary of the record-breaking wind at Mount Washington’s Observatory, National Day Calendar®  has not identified the founder of the day. 

#NationalWindDay 

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