Extreme Wind
Geography: KS3, topic 5.1.11
Extreme Wind
Wind speeds can sometimes reach extreme levels. For example, when tropical cyclones strike in areas near the equator.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on Extreme Wind
What was the name of the devastating hurricane that hit Texas in 1900?