The Beaufort Scale of Wind Force
Force |
Speed
in MPH 10m above ground |
Speed
in Knots 10m above ground |
DESCRIPTION |
SPECIFICATIONS
FOR USE AT SEA |
SPECIFICATIONS
FOR USE On Land |
0 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
Calm
|
Sea
like a mirror |
Calm;
smoke rises vertically. |
1 |
1-3 |
1-3 |
Light
air |
Ripples
with the appearance of scales are formed, but without foam crests. |
Direction
of wind shown by smoke drift, but not by wind vanes. |
2 |
4-7 |
4-6 |
Light
Breeze |
Small
wavelets, still short, but more pronounced. Crests have a glassy appearance and do not break. |
Wind
felt on face; leaves rustle; ordinary vanes moved by wind. |
3 |
8-12 |
7-10 |
Gentle
Breeze |
Large
wavelets. Crests begin to break. Foam of glassy appearance. Perhaps scattered white horses. |
Leaves
and small twigs in constant motion; wind extends light flag. |
4 |
13-18 |
11-16 |
Moderate
Breeze |
Small
waves, becoming larger; fairly frequent white horses. |
Raises
dust and loose paper; small branches are moved. |
5 |
19-24 |
17-21 |
Fresh
Breeze |
Moderate
waves, taking a more pronounced long form; many white horses are formed.Chance of some spray. |
Small
trees in leaf begin to sway; crested wavelets form on inland waters. |
6 |
25-31 |
22-27 |
Strong
Breeze |
Large
waves begin to form; the white foam crests are more extensive everywhere.Probably some spray. |
Large
branches in motion; whistling heard in telegraph wires; umbrellas used with difficulty. |
7 |
32-38 |
28-33 |
Near
Gale |
Sea
heaps up and white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks along the direction of the wind. |
Whole
trees in motion; inconvenience felt when walking against the wind. |
8 |
39-46 |
34-40 |
Gale |
Moderately
high waves of greater length; edges of crests begin to breakinto spindrift. The foam is blown in well-marked streaks along the direction of the wind. |
Breaks
twigs off trees; generally impedes progress. |
9 |
47-54 |
41-47 |
Severe
Gale |
High
waves. Dense streaks of foam along the direction of the wind. Crests of waves begin to topple, tumble and roll over. Spray may affect visibility. |
Slight
structural damage occurs (chimney-pots and slates removed). |
10 |
55-63 |
48-55 |
Storm |
Very
high waves with long over- hanging crests. The resulting foam, in great patches, is blown in dense white streaks along the direction of the wind. On the whole the surface of the sea takes on a white appearance. The 'tumbling' of the sea becomes heavy and shock-like. Visibility affected. |
Seldom
experienced inland; trees uprooted; considerable structural damage occurs. |
11 |
64-75 |
56-63 |
Violent
Storm |
Exceptionally
high waves (small and medium-size ships might be for a time lost to view behind the waves). The sea is completely covered with long white patches of foam lying along the direction of the wind. Everywhere the edges of the wave crests are blown into froth. Visibility affected. |
Very
rarely experienced; accompanied by wide-spread damage. |
12 |
Above
75 |
Above
64 |
Hurricane |
The
air is filled with foam and spray. Sea completely white with driving spray; visibility very seriously affected. |
Countryside
is devastated |