Roaring forties

Posted by Henry on August 18, 2004

In Reply to: Roaring forties posted by Lotg (OZ) on August 18, 2004

: Dini B asked about the Back 40, and that triggered this question from me.

: The term Roaring Forties has two meanings for me - one is the 1940's, but the other is the winds.

: I've had a bit of a surf, but can't find an answer. Why are those winds called the Roaring 40's? Does it mean 40 mph winds or something else?

It comes from the latitudes where the west winds blow - south of latitude 40 °S, or north of latitude 40 °N in the Atlantic.