5.1.11

Extreme Wind

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Extreme Wind

Wind speeds can sometimes reach extreme levels. For example, when tropical cyclones strike in areas near the equator.

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Wind speed records

  • The world’s highest recorded wind speed of 113.2m/s or 407.52 km/h was at Barrow Island in Australia in 1966.
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Tropical cyclones

  • Tropical cyclones or hurricanes affect some areas close to the equator.
  • These cause extreme winds that can lead to tremendous damage and loss of life.
  • The Great Galveston Hurricane that hit Texas in the USA in 1900 is generally regarded as the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States.
Illustrative background for The Great Galveston HurricaneIllustrative background for The Great Galveston Hurricane ?? "content

The Great Galveston Hurricane

  • The Great Galveston Hurricane is thought to have caused at least 8,000 deaths.
  • Every house in the city had some damage and at least 3,636 houses were destroyed.
  • This left approximately 30,000 people homeless, out of a total population of nearly 38,000.

Jump to other topics

1Geography Skills

2Geology of the UK

3Geography of the World

4Development

5Weather & Climate

6The World of Work

7Natural Resources

8Rivers

9Coasts

10Glaciers

11Tectonics

12Climate Change

13Global Population & Inequality

14Urbanisation

15Ecosystems

16Life in an Emerging Country

17Analysis of Africa

18Analysis of India

19Analysis of the Middle East

20Analysis of Bangladesh

21Analysis of Russia

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