What tropical cyclone produced the fastest wind gust ever recorded?

Cyclone Olivia produced the fastest wind gust ever recorded by a surface anemometer: 408 kilometres per hour. The gust occurred on 10 April 1996 at Barrow Island, off the coast of Western Australia, as the severe tropical cyclone passed nearby.

The observation was made during a powerful burst of winds around the cyclone. A gust is a short-lived peak, not the same as a storm’s sustained wind speed. This distinction matters because tropical-cyclone classifications generally use sustained winds measured over a specified period, while gusts can be considerably stronger.

The record was once disputed because of concerns about the instrument and the extreme value. After later technical reviews, the World Meteorological Organization accepted the Barrow Island measurement. Cyclone Olivia itself made landfall in Western Australia, but its strongest recorded gust occurred at the island weather station.