roaring forties

American  

plural noun

1. either of two areas in the ocean between 40° and 50° N or S latitude, noted for high winds and rough seas.

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Roaring Forties British  

plural noun

1. nautical the areas of ocean between 40° and 50° latitude in the S Hemisphere, noted for gale-force winds

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Etymology

Origin of roaring forties

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

The roaring forties describes the area between the latitudes 40 and 50 south of the equator - notorious for strong winds.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2023

She adds: "We are on the edge of the roaring forties, we are just a small rock in the middle of the south Atlantic, so we do have some pretty extreme weather."

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2023

When, in October, the Gipsy Moth at last entered the roaring forties, Chichester was unfazed.

From Time Magazine Archive

His most formidable obstacle was a stretch of black, tempestuous ocean just east of the Cape in the latitudes known forbiddingly as the "roaring forties."

From Time Magazine Archive

Most tramps can roll, but an empty tanker going west against prevailing winds in the "roaring forties" can certainly give points to the others.

From A Labrador Doctor The Autobiography of Wilfred Thomason Grenfell by Grenfell, Wilfred Thomason, Sir