What is the average and highest wind recorded for a hurricane?

Answer 1

The "average" hurricane is a category 1 or category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and have sustained winds of between 75 and 110 mph, with gusts as high as 125 mph for category 2 storms.

As for the highest recorded winds, both Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Allen (1980) had sustained winds of 190 mph (306 kph). Aircraft flying in Hurricane Rita (2005) recorded gusts of 235 mph (380 kph). The gusts in Camille at landfall were at least 213 mph, but may have been much higher -- the recording instruments were destroyed by these winds.

Cyclone Olivia (1996), which was essentially a hurricane in the Southern Hemisphere, produced a gust to 253 mph (407 kph).

Answer 2

The highest wind speed ever recorded for a hurricane, typhoon or cyclone was 253 miles per hour. It was part of Tropical Cyclone Olivia in 1996 off the coast of Australia. This was recorded as a gust. The highest sustained wind speed on record was 195 mph, recorded in Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
Major Atlantic Hurricanes and their top wind speeds:

1969 - Camille - 190 mph sustained winds

1980 - Allen - 190 mph sustained winds

1950 - Dog - 185 mph sustained winds

1980 - Gilbert - 185 mph sustained winds

2005 - Wilma - 185 mph sustained winds

***Footnote*** The 1935 "Great Labor Day Hurricane" has been estimated by some as having 200 mph sustained winds for at least 1 minute, but none of the major weather sites verify this. ***

***Footnote*** Hurricane Camille was estimated to have 200 mph sustained winds. The highest gust recorded was 213 mph which broke the instruments used to measure the wind speeds of the storm. Camille had at least 185 mph + sustained winds, but most of the era's recording instruments were not calibrated for wind speeds above that level, and many were destroyed.

***Footnote*** At some point during their development, the category 5 hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma (2005) each had recorded wind gusts 200 mph or higher. Hurricane hunter aircraft recorded a gust of 235 mph within Rita.

Typhoon Record

Hurricanes in other part of the world are referred to by names suchas typhoon and cyclone, the generic term being tropical cyclone. The highest confirmed sustained wind speed in a tropical cyclone was in Typhoon Haiyan (2013) at 195 mph. The highest gust was in Cyclone Olivia (1996) with a gust to 253 mph.

Answer 3

The strongest hurricanes can have sustained winds of 180 to 190 mph and gusts well over 200 mph.

To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical cyclone must have sustained winds of over 74 mph (119 kph). According to the Saffir-Simpson scale, the wind speeds by category are:

Category 1 : 74-95 mph (119-153 kph)

Category 2 : 96-110 mph (154-177 kph)

Category 3 : 111-129 mph (178-208 kph)

Category 4 : 130-156 mph (209-251 kph)

Category 5 : 157+ mph (252+ kph)

Both Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Allen (1980) had sustained winds of 190 mph (306 kph). Aircraft flying in Hurricane Rita (2005) recorded gusts of 235 mph (380 kph). The gusts in Camille at landfall were at least 213 mph, but may have been much higher -- the recording instruments were destroyed by these winds.

Answer 4

The highest recorded wind speed for a tornado is 301mph +/-20 recorded in the Moore, Oklahoma F5 tornado of May 3, 1999.

The highest wind recorded in a hurricane was about 190 mph in Hurricane Camille in 1969. Winds in this hurricane may have even over 200 mph, but that is difficult to determine as nearly all the wind gauges in the storm's path were destroyed.

Answer 5

The average wind speed for a hurricane is around 74 mph (119 km/h), while the highest wind speed ever recorded in a hurricane was during Hurricane Patricia in 2015, which reached 215 mph (346 km/h).

Answer 6

190 mph based on records.

Answer 7

190mph is the highest on record.

Answer 8

unknown