Missouri’s Fastest Wind Gust? It Equaled a Category 2 Hurricane

The two winter storm systems that just traveled through Missouri brought high winds with them. But, even the top winds of those storms didn't come close to the fastest wind gust in Missouri history which equaled a category 2 hurricane.

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To state the obvious, the fastest winds that have slammed Missouri have been a part of some of the fiercest tornadoes like the Tri-State tornado of 1925 and the infamous EF-5 that destroyed much of Joplin in 2011. That's a completely different kind of wind.

This is one of those unique weather statistics that doesn't seem like it should be possible, but it actually happened in Missouri. I found this interesting weather fact as a side note on Foundation Recovery Systems that mentioned the time when a lone Missouri wind gust shattered records.

There's no specific date mentioned, but they say that the highest wind gust that's been recorded in Missouri happened in Gideon, Missouri which is located in New Madrid County. They clocked a remarkable 96 mph wind gust. 

This is the Saffir-Simpson scale for hurricanes which shows a 96 mph wind gust would make it the equivalent of a category 2 hurricane.

Let's clarify that there's a big difference between a huge gust like this in Missouri and a real hurricane. While 96 mph is a staggering wind speed that would easily knock you down, to be a hurricane would mean those would have to be sustained constant winds. This is another reason to be glad that Missouri is not a coastal state.

Still, it's a stunning fun weather fact to think that Missouri has at least had a taste of what a category 2 hurricane would be like.