Beaufort scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The modern scale

Beaufort Description number Wind speed km/h mph kts m/s <1 <1 <1 Wave height m 0 ft Sea conditions Land conditions Sea state photo

Calm

< 0 0.3

Flat.

Calm. Smoke rises vertically. Wind motion visible in smoke.

Light air

1.1 1 5.5 3

0.3 1 0 2 0.2 1.5

Ripples 0 without 1 crests.

Light breeze

5.6 4 11 7

1.6 0.2 3 6 3.4 0.5

Small wavelets. 1 Crests of Wind felt on exposed 2 glassy skin. Leaves rustle. appearance, not breaking Large wavelets. 2 Crests begin 3.5 to break; scattered whitecaps Leaves and smaller twigs in constant motion.

Gentle breeze

12 8 19 12

3.4 7 0.5 10 1 5.4

Moderate breeze

11 5.5 20 13 1 28 17 2 15 7.9

Small waves with breaking Dust and loose paper 3.5 crests. Fairly raised. Small branches 6 frequent begin to move. white horses. Moderate waves of some length. Branches of a moderate 6 Many white size move. Small trees 9 horses. Small begin to sway. amounts of spray. Long waves begin to form. White foam crests 9 are very 13 frequent. Some airborne spray is present. Sea heaps up. Some foam from breaking 13 waves is 19 blown into streaks along wind direction. Moderate Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic garbage cans tip over.

Fresh breeze

16 8.0 29 18 2 38 24 3 20 10.7

Strong breeze

21 10.8 39 25 3 49 30 4 26 13.8

High wind, 27 13.9 Moderate 50 31 4 gale, Near 61 38 5.5 33 17.1 gale

Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind. Swaying of skyscrapers may be felt, especially by people on upper floors.

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amounts of airborne spray. Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift. 17.2 Well-marked streaks of 20.7 foam are blown along wind direction. Considerable airborne spray. High waves whose crests sometimes roll over. Dense foam is blown along wind 23 direction. 32 Large amounts of airborne spray may begin to reduce visibility.

34 17.2 5.5 Gale, Fresh 62 39 gale 74 46 40 20.7 7.5

Some twigs broken from trees. Cars veer on road. Progress on foot is seriously impeded.

Strong gale

41 20.8 75 47 7 88 54 10 47 24.4

Some branches break off trees, and some small trees blow over. Construction/temporary signs and barricades blow over. Damage to circus tents and canopies.

10

Very high waves with overhanging crests. Large patches of foam from wave crests give the sea a 48 24.5 white [6], 89 55 9 29 Storm appearance. Whole gale 102 63 55 28.4 12.5 41 Considerable tumbling of waves with heavy impact. Large amounts of airborne spray reduce visibility.

Trees are broken off or uprooted, saplings bent and deformed. Poorly attached asphalt shingles and shingles in poor condition peel off roofs.

Exceptionally high waves. Very large patches of foam, driven Widespread damage to

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11

Violent storm

103 117

before the wind, cover much of the sea surface. 56 28.5 Very large 64 11.5 37 amounts of 72 16 52 63 32.6 airborne spray severely reduce visibility. Huge waves. Sea is completely white with foam and spray. Air is filled with driving spray, greatly reducing visibility.

vegetation. Many roofing surfaces are damaged; asphalt tiles that have curled up and/or fractured due to age may break away completely.

12

Hurricane
[6]

118

73

14 64 32.7 46

Very widespread damage to vegetation. Some windows may break; mobile homes and poorly constructed sheds and barns are damaged. Debris may be hurled about.

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10/24/2009