Cyclone Hudhud hit at 279 kmph
A cyclonic storm that surpasses wind speed of 220kmph can be termed as super cyclone
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-11-02 02:15 GMT
Visakhapatnam: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had dubbed Hudhud that wrecked havoc in Vizag last month as only a very severe cyclonic storm.
However, the peak wind speed that was recorded by anemometers at Vizag port’s container terminal and a few vessels on the outer harbour on October 12 was 279 kmph or 80.5 metres per second.
A cyclonic storm that surpasses wind speed of 220kmph can be termed as super cyclone. Recordings of the same anemometers suggested that average wind speed of Hudhud was 220 kmph. Anemometers are used at the container terminal to take precautionary measures depending on the wind speed.
While the IMD uses a three minute averaging for the sustained wind to categorise a cyclone, 279 kmph or 80.5 metres per second speed was recorded for a few seconds in three spells during the day.