A wind gust of just over 87 mph was recorded in Camp Creek late Tuesday night during what is called a mountain wave wind event. The strongest gust was measured at approximately 11:15 p.m.
Camp Creek is one of the few locations where mountain wave wind events occur. The National Weather Service says these events can produce powerful, localized wind gusts when strong winds are forced over a mountain range. Mountain wave gusts can be far greater than the surrounding areas experience. For comparison, a Category One hurricane would have wind speeds about the same as Camp Creek experienced last night.
The mountain wave wind phenomenon is similar to how water flows over a large boulder in a river, forming waves downstream. Camp Creek, located near the base of Greene Mountain, has a unique geographic profile that makes it particularly susceptible to these high winds.
