NORTH CONWAY — It was standing-room only in the Weather Discovery Center meeting room on Friday, April 12, when two Mount Washington Observatory staff scientists — Director of Research Dr. Eric Kelsey and Research Specialist Observer Taylor Regan — told the dramatic story of the record-setting 231 mph wind verified 85 years ago in the wood chained-down Mount Washington Stage office on the rocky summit.
Kelsey, who took the lead in delivering the celebratory remarks, holds a joint position at the obseratory and Plymouth State University’s Meteorology program.
kAmw6 C6=F4E2?E=J 25>:EE65 5FC:?8 E96 =:G6=J BF6DE:@?\2?5\2?DH6C A6C:@5 E92E E96 @3D6CG2E@CJ C64@C5 H2D 3C@<6? :? `hhe 2E E96 F?:?923:E65 q2CC@H xD=2?5[ pFDEC2=:2[ 5FC:?8 %JA9@@? ~=:G:2j E96 ?6H C64@C5 H2D D6E 2E adb >A9 @? 6?E:C6=J 2FE@>2E65 6BF:A>6?E]k^Am
kAm|@F?E (2D9:?8E@?’D ab` >]A]9] H:?5 :D DE:==[ 9@H6G6C[ E96 9:896DE 6G6C @3D6CG65 3J >2?] %H@ 5:DE:?4E 8FDED @7 ab` >A9 H6C6 C64@C565[ z6=D6J D2:5] pD E96 27E6C?@@? @7 pAC:= `a H@C6 @?[ 7C6BF6?E G2=F6D @7 aa_ >A9 H6C6 2=D@ C64@C565[ :?4=F5:?8 D6G6C2= 8FDED E@ aah >A9[ 96 6IA=2:?65] %96C6 H6C6 2=D@ DFDE2:?65 H:?5D @7 `gg >A9 7@C 2 7:G6\>:?FE6 A6C:@5[ 2?5 a`_ >A9 7@C 2 `f\D64@?5 A6C:@5] p r2E68@CJ d 9FCC:42?6 92D H:?5 DA665D @7 `df >A9 @C >@C6]k^Am
kAmq24< :? `hbc[ E96 4C6H’D 4@==64E:G6 E9@F89E 27E6C E96J C64@C565 E96 ab` >]A]9] H:?5 H2Di Q(:== E96J 36=:6G6 :EnQk^Am
kAmz6=D6J 2?5 #682? 56D4C:365 E96 D6G6C2= H2JD E96 4C6H 2?5 @E96CD H@C<65 E@ G6C:7J E96 C64@C5’D 244FC24J] %96 2?6>@>6E6C E96J 925 FD65 E@ E2<6 E96 >62DFC6>6?E H2D E2<6? E@ 2 H:?5 EF??6= :? (2D9:?8E@? s]r][ H96C6 E96 r92C=6D |2CG:?[ r9:67 @7 E96 &]$] (62E96C qFC62F[ ?@H 42==65 E96 }2E:@?2= (62E96C $6CG:46[ A6C7@C>65 E6DED E92E 4@?7:C>65 :ED 244FC24J] #6DF=ED H6C6 4@>A2C65 H:E9 E6DED 3J E96 &]$] qFC62F @7 $E2?52C5D :? }@G6>36C `hbb 367@C6 36:?8 :?DE2==65 2E E96 DF>>:E] %96 E6DED :?5:42E65 E96 56G:46 >2J 92G6 D=@H65 D=:89E=J[ >2<:?8 ab` >A9 D=:89E=J 4@?D6CG2E:G6]k^Am
kAm#682? A=2J65 2 C64@C5:?8 @7 E96 D6C:6D @7 4=:4<D E92E E96 2?6>@>6E6C H@F=5 92G6 >256 2?5 C64@C565 @? 2 A2A6C D966E H96? E96 C64@C5 H2D D6E] %96 @C:8:?2= 56G:46 :D :? E96 ~3D6CG2E@CJ’D >@F?E2:?E@A s:D4@G6CJ |FD6F> :? E96 $96C>2? p52>D qF:=5:?8]k^Am
kAm%9:D H:?E6C[ 2 ?6H C64@C5 H:?5 H2D D6E 7@C E96 >@?E9 @7 u63CF2CJ] ~? u63] ad[ E96 ~3D 4C6H C64@C565 2 H:?5 DA665 @7 `f` >]A]9] — E96 6:89E9 9:896DE H:?5 6G6C >62DFC65 @? E96 e[agg\7@@E DF>>:E] p H:?5 DA665 @7 `bg >A9 H2D 2=D@ DFDE2:?65 7@C @?6 9@FC]k^Am
kAmxE H2D 324< :? `gf_[ z6=D6J A@:?E65 @FE[ E92E 2 8C@FA @7 D4:6?E:DED 564:565 E@ @3D6CG6 E96 >@F?E2:?’D H:?E6C H62E96C[ 9@A:?8 E@ :>AC@G6 7@C642DE:?8 <?@H=6586] p=E9@F89 76H E9@F89E E96J H@F=5 DF44665[ E96 CF8865 E62> DEF4< H:E9 :E 2?5 82E96C65 52E2 E92E H2D H:56=J C64@8?:K65 3J E96 D4:6?E:7:4 4@>>F?:EJ] k^Am
kAm%96:C @3D6CG2E:@?D 5C6H E96 2EE6?E:@? @7 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D $:8?2= $6CG:46 — 2 AC64FCD@C E@ E96 }2E:@?2= (62E96C $6CG:46 — E92E >2:?E2:?65 2 H62E96C DE2E:@? @? E96 DF>>:E F?E:= `gha] k^Am
kAmu@CEJ J62CD =2E6C[ D@>6 8F?8\9@ 4:G:=:2?D 7@F?565 E96 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? ~3D6CG2E@CJ :? @C56C E@ C6DF>6 E96 $:8?2= $6CG:46’D H@C<] k^Am
kAm&D:?8 2 Sc__ C6D62C49 8C2?E 7C@> E96 }6H w2>AD9:C6 p4256>J @7 $4:6?46D 2?5 2 92?57F= @7 5@?@CD — q@3 |@?292?[ H9@ 925 2 >2DE6C’D 568C66 :? 7@C6DECJ 7C@> *2=6j $2= !28=:F42j p=6I |4z6?K:6j 2?5 y@6 s@586 @7 pAA2=249:2? |@F?E2:? r=F3 — C6\6DE23=:D965 E96 >@F?E2:?E@A DE2E:@? @? ~4E] `d[ `hba] k^Am
kAms@586 4C65:E65 E96 FA4@>:?8 `hba\`hbb x?E6C?2E:@?2= !@=2C *62C 2D 9:D >@E:G2E:@? 7@C C6\6DE23=:D9:?8 2? @3D6CG2E@CJ @? E96 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? DF>>:E] z6=D6J BF@E65 H92E s@586 C642==65 2?J J62CD =2E6C :? `hegi “(6==[ 3642FD6 @7 E9:D 2??@F?46>6?E |@?292? 2?5 x 564:565[ H6== ;:?8=6D[ E9:D :D E96 C62= C62D@? E@ 6DE23=:D9 2? @3D6CG2E@CJ @? |@F?E (2D9:?8E@?]” k^Am
kAm{:G:?8 2E E96 DF>>:E :? 2 @?6\C@@> DECF4EFC6 @FE7:EE65 H:E9 2 4@2= DE@G6 H2D DA2CE2?[ 3FE E96 56E6C>:?65 4C6H H2D DE62572DE :? :ED >:DD:@? E@ 25G2?46 F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 H62E96C[ 4=:>2E6 2?5 E96 >@F?E2:? :ED6=7] %96J 2=D@ 6DE23=:D965 E96 =@?8\96=5 EC25:E:@? @7 92G:?8 42ED 2?5 <:EE6?D @? D:E6]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E96 ab` >]A]9] C64@C5 H:?5[ E96 G2=F6 @7 2 A6C>2?6?E >@F?E2:?E@A DE2E:@? H2D C64@8?:K65[ 2?5 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? ~3D6CG2E@CJ H2D 6DE23=:D965 2D 2 AC:G2E6[ ?@?\AC@7:E @C82?:K2E:@? E@ @3D6CG6 2?5 >2:?E2:? 2 C64@C5 @7 H62E96C 52E2[ A6C7@C> H62E96C 2?5 4=:>2E6 C6D62C49[ 2?5 7@DE6C AF3=:4 F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 E96 >@F?E2:? 2?5 :ED 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 gdkDFAmE9k^DFAm2??:G6CD2CJ H2D 2=D@ 46=63C2E65 H:E9 7C66 25>:DD:@? E@ E96 |2:? $EC66E s:D4@G6CJ |FD6F>] ':D:E@CD 4@F=5 6?;@J D@>6 =:G6 G:56@ 4@??64E:@?D E@ E96 >@F?E2:?E@A H96C6 2 >6E6@C@=@8:DE 4@F=5 D9@H E96> E96 H62E96C :?DECF>6?E2E:@? H2==] %96J H6C6 H6=4@>65 :?E@ E96 D>2== E962E6C 3J C6E2:= >2?286C $2>2?E92 qC25J[ H9@ >@G65 E@ v@C92> 7C@> 36=@H !:?<92> }@E49 2 J62C 28@] k^Am
kAmz6=D6J 2=D@ C676CC65 E@ @?8@:?8 2?5 A@E6?E:2==J AC24E:42= C6D62C49 E92E 92D 366? DE2CE65 E92E =:<6=J H:== 36 FD67F= E@ E9@D6 =:G:?8 2?5 EC2G6=:?8 :? E96 H2C>:?8 }@CE9 r@F?ECJ G2==6JD[ H96C6 C:G6CD 2C6 364@>:?8 AC@?6 E@ 7=@@5 :? >:55=6 @7 H:?E6C[ D@>6E:>6D 56G6=@A:?8 :46 ;2>D[ 2?5 :? C2G:?6D H96C6 9:<6CD 2?5 D<:6CD 2C6 2E C:D< @7 2G2=2?496D] k^Am
kAm“%@ 2DD6DD 2?5 >:E:82E6 E96D6 C:D<D[ |E] (2D9:?8E@? ~3D6CG2E@CJ s:C64E@C @7 x% z6:E9 v2CC6EE[ !$& #6D62C49 %649?:4:2? s2? tG2?D[ !$& pAA=:65 |6E6@C@=@8J 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E {:K yFC<@HD<:[ 2?5 x 2C6 56G6=@A:?8[ 56A=@J:?8 2?5 E6DE:?8 :?6IA6?D:G6 D?@HA24< D6?D:?8 DE2E:@?D E@ >62DFC6 E96 9:89=J G2C:23=6 D?@H 56AE9[ D?@HA24< E6>A6C2EFC6 2?5 D?@H H2E6C 4@?E6?E 2E 5:776C6?E 6=6G2E:@?D @? |@F?E (2D9:?8E@?[” 96 HC:E6D :? “$6?:@C w:<6C |282K:?6” Wa_`h[ s66C xD=6 |2:?6X] “%96 ?6H D6?D:?8 DE2E:@?D 2C6 6BF:AA65 H:E9 `a E96C>:DE@CD WC6D:DE2?46\32D65 E96C>@>6E6CDX[ 2? F=EC2D@?:4 D?@H 56AE9 D6?D@C 2?5 2 E6>A6C2EFC6 2?5 C6=2E:G6 9F>:5:EJ D6?D@C 7@C E96 2:C 23@G6 E96 D?@HA24<]”k^Am
kAms2E2 2C6 36:?8 =@8865 3J ?6H[ :?6IA6?D:G6 >:4C@4@?EC@==6CD[ A@H6C65 3J D>2== =:E9:F> 32EE6C:6D 2?5 2 D@=2C A2?6=] x7 E6DE:?8 8@6D 2D H6== 2D 6IA64E65[ z6=D6J HC:E6D[ E96 =@?8\E6C> A=2? H:== 36 E@ @FE7:E DE2E:@?D H:E9 4@>>F?:42E:@?D 6BF:A>6?E E@ 2FE@>2E:42==J D6?5 52E2 :? C62=\E:>6 E@ C6D62C496CD 2D H6== 2D E@ E96 |@F?E (2D9:?8E@? pG2=2?496 r6?E6C 2?5 }@CE962DE #:G6C u@C642DE r6?E6C] k^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.