Strong winds moved across the region Friday night and early Saturday. This gusty wind can be directly attributed to a storm system that passed very close to Rochester during that time period. The main reason for this gale was the strength of the atmospheric pressure gradient. This is a term used by meteorologists to describe how atmospheric pressure changes with respect to horizontal distance. This change in pressure can be directly attributed to a significant change in air temperature. When there is a large change in pressure over a relatively short distance, the atmosphere responds with an increase in the wind field in order to equalize the pressure. So this is an acceleration of air which is moving from high pressure to low pressure resulting in wind. The highest wind gust recorded at the Rochester Airport Friday night was 53 mph. Keep in mind the highest official recorded wind speed in Rochester was 89mph on September 6th, 1998.
