Wind gusts recorded by the new anemometer located on the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain broke 100 mph for the first time on Sunday, February 10.
The highest three-second gust measured by the anemometer clocked in at 107 mph at 4:42 p.m.  The highest five-second gust measured was 103 mph.
“One hundred miles per hour is significant symbolically since this is the first time we have hit three digits since the new system went in place,” said Grandfather Mountain President Crae Morton. “Really though the sustained winds to me are more impressive.”
Between the time period of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Sunday night, the winds measured by the anemometer were sustained at 80 to 90 mph.
Grandfather Mountain installed this new anemometer February 15, 2007 on the Mile High Swinging Bridge in response to claims by the experts that the winds speeds measured by the wind sensor on top of the Top Shop building were inflated. These statements came after a 200 mph wind reading was recorded in January 2006.
The climatologist said that winds hitting the side of the building were being compressed upward, spilling over the roof and striking the equipment at an accelerated rate.  For this reason they felt that the anemometer’s readings were not reflective of the true wind speeds at the top of Grandfather Mountain. The new anemometer was placed under guidance from members of the State Climate Office of North Carolina, NOAA, and Appalachian State University to conform to accepted scientific standards.
“The old anemometer, located on top of the Top Shop, reached its maximum of 200 mph on Sunday,” said Morton.  “More data will be needed to asses the exact relationship between readings; however, casual observation clearly shows that the experts who were critical of the 200 mph reading in January 2006 were indeed quite correct.”
For more information on the 52 years of weather data from Grandfather Mountain, see the interactive weather database at www.grandfather.com.  Any questions regarding the new anemometer and wind speeds at Grandfather Mountain should be directed to Crae Morton at 828-733-2013