Re: Real wind speed in NW Quad?
Posted by Chris in Tampa on 11/7/2013, 7:49 pm
Forward speed is always included in an advisory wind speed. On the other side of the storm the wind speed will be less than the advisory wind speed for that reason if a storm is moving. (I even see meteorologists get that wrong a lot.) You can't just subtract the forward motion to get the wind speed on the other side, because it depends where you are on the other side. Plus, there are likely other factors that would make the wind speed less on the other side of the storm, especially when near land.

Nor'easter's and post tropical cyclones are a great example in the NE US. They can be moving extremely rapidly. If offshore, and it stays offshore, the high winds will stay over water if it moves parallel to the shore. If the storm is moving 50 mph and the advisory wind speed is 75 mph, the wind on land might be extremely minimal in most areas.

An advisory wind speed is the greatest sustained wind speed estimated for the storm. Not counting this storm, because the damage will probably be catastrophic everywhere, but usually someone doesn't get the absolute highest winds in a storm. This storm would likely be like that too, but more or less catastrophic is still catastrophic. (complete destruction even on the "weaker" side of the storm)

That's why some people are fooled into thinking they have survived a storm of a certain category when in reality they did not get the effects at their location of the advisory category. Few would get those highest impacts. So if another storm comes, with the same advisory winds, the wind speed might be much greater for someone than a previous storm because they didn't really get the highest wind speed in that first storm. (That gives people a false sense of security.) Of course as well all know, every storm is different. Surge, and rainfall, can be wildly different depending on such things as the size of the storm and movement.

Not quite limited to what you asked, but thought I would go into a little more detail for others.
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wow, just wow... - cypresstx, 11/7/2013, 5:56 pm
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