Hurricane Gust Factors Revisited

Abstract

This paper describes a re-examination of gust factors associated with hurricanes. The hurricane gust factors for the over-land and over-water cases are examined separately, with the observed gust factors compared to those determined using theoretically based models derived for extratropical storm winds. The results of the study suggest that in most cases hurricane gust factors can be described using models developed for standard neutral boundary layer flow conditions. Large, anomalous gust factors associated with convective gusts were found; however, these high gust factors were all observed well away from the hurricane eyewall in all cases.