Blown away
There are some places where a headscarf and windbreaker just won’t cut it. Places that are regularly whipped and whisked up by extreme, super-speedy winds. Places that rank 12 on the Beaufort Scale, where levels range from 0-12, with 5 being a fresh breeze of 19-24mph (30-38km/h) to 12, a hurricane registering 72mph (116km/h) and above. These are the world’s windiest places, from those that regularly experience great gusts to locations where the world’s highest wind speeds have been recorded. Spoiler: Chicago isn’t one of them.
St John’s, Canada, 98mph
The capital of Newfoundland and Labrador has been described as the windiest city in Canada. The colorful coastal city – known for the tiny, brightly hued homes clustered in the cliffs of the Battery – experiences average annual wind speeds of around 13mph (21km/h), with average annual maximum gusts reaching 19mph (31km/h).
Aviemore, UK, 173mph
The mountaintop is often whipped by strong gusts, and there were later claims that winds reached speeds of 194mph (312km/h). What would have superseded the 1986 record was apparently reached in late 2008, though the anemometer (wind-monitoring device) wiped the data with no official reading or printout to back the claim.
St John’s, Canada, 98mph
The city’s record highest wind speed is a relatively low – but still pretty intense – 98mph (157km/h), recorded in December 2019 and again in January 2020. It’s the consistency of its windiness, particularly in the cold, foggy winters, that earns it a spot on our list.
Mount Everest, China and Nepal, 175mph
The record wind speeds – in the same range as a Category 5 hurricane, classed as 157mph (253km/h) or above – were recorded at the summit in February 2004. Extreme blusters hitting at speeds above 100mph (161km/h) are frighteningly common in winter, with May and September considered the calmest months – and understandably the most popular for making an ascent. Learn more secrets about the world's most beautiful mountains.
Wellington, New Zealand, 154mph
New Zealand’s capital has the dubious distinction of being the world’s windiest city (despite Chicago having the Windy City nickname). Its average annual wind speed is 29mph (47km/h), which would be enough to have most of us squinting and seeking cover. Things became particularly stormy in the winter of 1962, however, when the city experienced its highest recorded wind speed: a blisteringly blustery 154mph (248km/h).
Mount Everest, China and Nepal, 175mph
This mighty mountain, whose summit straddles the border of China and Nepal, is no stranger to extremes. It’s the highest mountain above sea level, probably the most famous mountain in the world, and makes regular appearances on travel bucket lists. Summiting its 29,029 feet (8,848m) and facing the effects of altitude is no walk in the park, either. Throw in blizzards and wind speeds of 175mph (282km/h) and it becomes impossible.
Cape Blanco, Oregon, USA, 145mph
It was the strongest gust registered during the storm, which battered much of the Pacific Northwest coast including parts of Washington state. Cape Blanco has a pretty windy reputation, though. Its lighthouse, built in 1870, was equipped with a powerful radio beacon because the area’s strong winds made it a notorious shipwreck site. Check out America's most violent storms.
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