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WEKU
WEKU
Emma Bowman

Near-record winds over the Northeast push passenger planes to speeds over 800 mph

Boosted by a powerful jet stream over the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday night, a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 passenger flight arrived at London's Heathrow Airport 45 minutes ahead of schedule. A similar aircraft is seen in 2017, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

Strong high-altitude winds over the Mid-Atlantic sped up sky traffic on Saturday night, getting passengers on at least two commercial planes to their destinations early, after both aircraft hit supersonic speeds topping 800 mph.

Winds at cruising altitude peaked at about 265 mph, according to the Washington, D.C., area National Weather Service office — the second-highest wind speed logged in the region since recordings began in 1948. The highest-ever wind speed recorded in the area at a similar altitude was 267 mph on Dec. 6, 2002.

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