Has there ever been a 200 mph sustained wind cane/typhoon?

[Janie34]

I agree with the estimation of Camille's top winds being 200 MPH or perhaps above. Really though, thats all we have are estimations as winds that high will destroy most ob equipment.

My father was based at Gulfport in 1969. He was from Missouri and didn't know the first thing about hurricanes. He thought it would just be some wind and rain. He sure didn't take Camille seriously. He decided to ride out Hurricane Camille. He stayed in this little wood frame house about 5 miles off the beach. When the house literally started breathing in and out (the walls were moving in and out) he had second thoughts. Too late. Next came what he thought was automatic gunfire (he had served in Vietnam.) It was the wind shearing off the tops of the trees. This was at Gulfport, not Waveland or Bay St. Louis.

Even though we don't have as many obs from the Labor Day hurricane, I think based on extrapolation from the barometric pressure and other data its safe to assume that the 1935 storm topped Camille. I too wish we had more obs from those days.

[Janie34]

I'd also point out that Camille's highest estimated winds a few hours before landfall were estimated at at least 190 MPH. That information is right from NHC's archives:

http://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archi ... elim29.gif

[HurricaneJim]

I have a doctor friend who was in Camille. They were a fairly good distance inland.

By the time the water stopped rising, they were up in the attic gable of an old Victorian house, standing on tables and dressers with water up to their necks singing hyms. (in the middle of the night in the pitch black)

The whole time, there was a new Cadilac that kept slamming into the house as it somehow managed to float.

They were terrified.

I've been in some very dodgey places and had "events beyond your control" come down around me. Artillery is one of them, like a storm this size, there's just nothing you can do but pray.

But I can't imagine that. It must have been like being trapped in a flooded compartment on a ship. Cooped up, trapped. At least under the guns I can dig down into the ground. I can go "somewhere." But that? Trapped like a rat...shiver.

Jim

[Aquawind]

Try reading Issac's Storm about the Galveston Texas hurricane that took between 8,000 lives..There is great detail about how the people ended up getting into thier attics thinking they would be above the waterline. Many of the homes simply lifted off and floated away into the ocean with everyone trapped inside..I think some axed thier way out or got out through windows but the water was already 15-30 foot deep..Scary Stuff..

[B-Bear]

Try reading Issac's Storm about the Galveston Texas hurricane that took between 8,000 lives..There is great detail about how the people ended up getting into thier attics thinking they would be above the waterline. Many of the homes simply lifted off and floated away into the ocean with everyone trapped inside..I think some axed thier way out or got out through windows but the water was already 15-30 foot deep..Scary Stuff..

Good book. Sitting on my bookshelf.

[PTPatrick]

My home is on a bayou in Pacagoula mississippi. My dad grew up here(I am too young to have experienced Camille). And even though the storm was small in size, here 60 miles east of where the center came in, Camille made a very big impression. There was wind damage on par with that of a cat 4 or strong cat three over this way. Definately left a major impression. The storm surge here in Jackson County was 10-13(actually a little less the Georges, but he hit us head on). To a young whippersnapper like me Camille is just a legend, because I cant really fathom that happening again. To this day, I love talking to older folks in this area about...not one has failed to produce an amazing story about what they did when Camille hit.

[Lowpressure]

I would love to have seen the hunters in Isabel one day earlier. I bet she would have made the list, although not at landfall, thankfully.

[Air Force Met]

Gilbert - 1988 - was sustained at 185 mph in the Cariabbean. That was the same advisory as when the pressure bottomed out at 888 mb!!

Mike

--

I remember the interview when the NOAA P-3 crew that got 882 mb at the peak of the eyewall cycle...and the NHC said "you guys are nuts." The little dropsonde geek said "but WE believe it!"

I also remember getting that recon report. I was at a student chapter meeting of the AMS (TAMSCAMS). I remember seeing 199 kts as the flight level winds. We almost passed out.

I believe I seen that on a NOVA video on Public television. Am I correct?

Yep...I think that was it. Good show.

[ColdFront77]

Is your real question.... Is Frances going to have sustained winds of 200?

I doubt it.

crazycajuncane, I read the initial and your post above; and then, an hour or so ago and now I don't believe logybogy question was based too much on Frances.
But I may be wrong.

[Hyperstorm]

Excellent topic of discussion! It is QUITE LIKELY that the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 will be classified a stronger storm when revisions come out in a couple years. The reasons are the ones stated above. I believe Stormsfury has more information about this since he has talked to many meteorologists concerning this.