The 1962 Columbus Day Storm: A Powerful Weather Event

In 1962, the Columbus Day Storm was a rare and devastating event, with winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. This powerful storm caused numerous casualties, injuries, and massive property damage, including the destruction of over fifty thousand buildings and countless trees. Jump ahead fifty years to 2012, and Superstorm Sandy struck the East Coast with a similar intensity. Unlike Superstorm Sandy, which was accurately forecasted days in advance, the Columbus Day Storm took weather forecasters by surprise, leaving them unprepared for its fury.

This unprecedented West Coast storm, known as the "Columbus Day Storm" of 1962, not only impacted the Asian log export market and kickstarted the Oregon wine trade but also left a lasting mark on the region. Serving as a sobering reminder of the challenges posed by climate change, this storm set a high standard for extreme weather events in the Pacific Northwest. From its formation in the Marshall Islands to its devastating landfall on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the storm carved a path of destruction unlike anything seen before.

In 'A Lethal Wind,' seasoned journalist John Dodge weaves a captivating tale filled with human emotion, Cold War tension, and rich Pacific Northwest history. This book is a must-read for the thousands of storm survivors, history enthusiasts, and anyone intrigued by the impact of extreme weather events and climate change, particularly the 1962 Columbus Day Storm.