WIND SCALE
The wind, a natural companion of our lives, is multifaceted and versatile. In this introductory section, you will get an overview of the different wind strengths and their meaning. Okay, ready to go into the wind?
|
Scale
|
Symbol
|
Name of wind
|
Knots
|
Kph
|
Description on land
|
Illustration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0
|
|
Calm
|
1 or less
|
1 or less
|
Smoke rises straight up.
|
|
|
1
|
|
Light Air
|
1 to 3
|
1 to 5
|
Smoke drift indicates wind direction. Wind vanes do not move.
|
|
|
2
|
|
Light Breeze
|
4 to 6
|
6 to 11
|
Wind felt on face. Leaves rustle. Wind vanes begin to move.
|
|
|
3
|
|
Gentle Breeze
|
7 to 10
|
12 to 19
|
Light flags extended. Leaves and small twigs in constant motion.
|
|
|
4
|
|
Moderate Breeze
|
11 to 16
|
20 to 28
|
Dust, leaves and loose papers raised. Small branches move.
|
|
|
5
|
|
Fresh Breeze
|
17 to 21
|
29 to 38
|
Crested wavelets form on inland waters. Small trees begin to sway.
|
|
|
6
|
|
Strong Breeze
|
22 to 27
|
39 to 49
|
Umbrellas are difficult to control. Whistling heard on telegraph wires.
Large branches move.
|
|
|
7
|
|
Near Gale
|
28 to 33
|
50 to 61
|
Inconvenience felt when walking against the wind. Whole trees in motion.
|
|
|
8
|
|
Gale
|
34 to 40
|
62 to 74
|
Difficult to walk against wind. Twigs and small branches blown off trees.
|
|
|
9
|
|
Strong Gale
|
41 to 47
|
75 to 88
|
Slight structural damage may occur (slates blown off roofs).
|
|
|
10
|
|
Storm
|
48 to 55
|
89 to 102
|
Structural damages likely. Trees uprooted.
|
|
|
11
|
|
Violent Storm
|
56 to 63
|
103 to 116
|
Widespread damage to structures.
|
|
|
12
|
|
Hurricane
|
64 and above
|
117 and above
|
Severe structural damage to buildings. Widespread devastation.
|
|
The Beaufort scale, named after Sir Francis Beaufort (1774-1857), is a widely used system for classifying wind strength. It divides wind speeds into 13 levels, from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane).
|
Scale
|
Symbol
|
Name of wind
|
Knots
|
Kph
|
Description of sea
|
Illustration
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0
|
|
Calm
|
1 or less
|
1 or less
|
Sea like a mirror
|
|
|
1
|
|
Light Air
|
1 to 3
|
1 to 5
|
Scaly ripples without foam crests.
|
|
|
2
|
|
Light Breeze
|
4 to 6
|
6 to 11
|
Small wavelets, crests have a glassy appearance, not breaking.
|
|
|
3
|
|
Gentle Breeze
|
7 to 10
|
12 to 19
|
Large wavelets, crests begin to break, scattered white caps.
|
|
|
4
|
|
Moderate Breeze
|
11 to 16
|
20 to 28
|
Small waves becoming longer, numerous white caps.
|
|
|
5
|
|
Fresh Breeze
|
17 to 21
|
29 to 38
|
Moderate waves taking longer form, many white caps, some spray.
|
|
|
6
|
|
Strong Breeze
|
22 to 27
|
39 to 49
|
Larger waves begin to form, White caps everywhere, more spray.
|
|
|
7
|
|
Near Gale
|
28 to 33
|
50 to 61
|
The sea heaps up, white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in
streaks.
|
|
|
8
|
|
Gale
|
34 to 40
|
62 to 74
|
Moderately high waves of greater length, edges of crests begin to break
into spindrift.
|
|
|
9
|
|
Strong Gale
|
41 to 47
|
75 to 88
|
High waves, the sea begins to roll, dense streaks of foam.
|
|
|
10
|
|
Storm
|
48 to 55
|
89 to 102
|
Very high waves with overhanging crests, heavy rolling, reduced visibility.
|
|
|
11
|
|
Violent Storm
|
56 to 63
|
103 to 116
|
Exceptionally high waves, sea covered with white foam patches, destitute
visibility.
|
|
|
12
|
|
Hurricane
|
64 and above
|
117 and above
|
Giant waves, the sea is completely white with driving spray, the air filled
with foam.
|
|
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