The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Planes top 800 mph as near-record winds sweep high over Mid-Atlantic

The planes were propelled by a record jet stream that reached 265 mph over Washington

By
Updated February 18, 2024 at 1:51 p.m. EST|Published February 18, 2024 at 11:33 a.m. EST
High-altitude winds as simulated by the European model at 7 p.m. Saturday. Winds shown are displayed in knots; multiply by 1.15 to convert to mph. (WeatherBell)
3 min

Winds roared to speeds of 265 mph high over Washington — at about 35,000 feet above ground, cruising altitude for airplanes — as a powerful jet stream swept over the region late Saturday. These winds allowed at least three commercial aircraft to reach speeds over 800 mph.

The National Weather Service office serving the Washington-Baltimore region said the 265-mph wind speed was the second-highest measured since records began in the 1950s. The only higher wind speed recorded at a comparable altitude was 267 mph on Dec. 6, 2002.