The Whiteface Mountain summit observatory is seen in early March. (Enterprise photo - Scott McKim)

WILMINGTON — The highest weather station in New York lived up to its moniker.

As a fierce wind storm ripped through upstate New York Monday and Tuesday — downing trees, causing isolated property damage and leaving tens of thousands across the state without power — a 112 mph wind gust was recorded atop Whiteface Mountain’s summit observatory.

The formidable blast of air was recorded at 3:10 a.m. Monday, according to Scott McKim, the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) science manager. The ASRC, which is overseen by the University at Albany, maintains the 4,867-feet summit observatory’s weather and environmental monitoring equipment, along with numerous other weather stations that help to make up the New York State Mesonet.

McKim routinely inspects and calibrates the equipment, often skiing 2,800-plus vertical feet up the Whiteface toll road in the throes of winter to do so. Accuracy and longevity are key to the scientific record, he said.

“Long-term measurements at the summit are key for putting recent changes into context and uninterrupted high-quality baseline measurements are essential to maintaining that long-term context,” he said.

While the 112 mph gust was brief, comprising an average wind speed over three seconds, the sustained winds at the summit were almost as eye-popping. McKim said the station recorded an average wind speed of around 90 mph for an hour on each side of the wind gust.

For context, a Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds between 74 and 95 mph and an EF2 tornado has wind gusts between 111 and 135 mph.