BEAUFORT WIND SCALE FOR LAND AREAS
• Make your observations in an open location, e.g. school field.
• Use the scale below to estimate wind speed.
• Enter CALM if there is no wind.
| Wind Force |
Description
|
Speed
|
Specifications |
|
kph
|
knots
|
| 0 |
Calm |
0 |
0 |
Smoke rises vertically |
| 1 |
Light Air |
1-5 |
1-3 |
Direction shown by smoke drift but not by wind vanes |
| 2 |
Light Breeze |
6-11 |
4-6 |
Wind felt on face; leaves rustle; wind vane moved by wind |
| 3 |
Gentle Breeze |
12-19 |
7-10 |
Leaves and small twigs in constant motion; light flags extended |
| 4 |
Moderate Breeze |
20-28 |
11-16 |
Raises dust and loose paper; small branches moved. |
| 5 |
Fresh Breeze |
29-38 |
17-21 |
Small trees in leaf begin to sway; crested wavelets form on inland waters. |
| 6 |
Strong Breeze |
38-49 |
22-27 |
Large branches in motion; whistling heard in telegraph wires; umbrellas used with difficulty. |
| 7 |
Near Gale |
50-61 |
28-33 |
Whole trees in motion; inconvenience felt when walking against the wind. |
| 8 |
Gale |
62-74 |
34-40 |
Twigs break off trees; generally impedes progress. |
| 9 |
Strong Gale |
75-88 |
41-47 |
Slight structural damage (chimney pots and slates removed). |
| 10 |
Storm |
89-102 |
48-55 |
Seldom experienced inland; trees uprooted; considerable structural damage |
| 11 |
Violent Storm |
103-117 |
56-63 |
Very rarely experienced; accompanied by widespread damage. |
| 12 |
Hurricane |
118 plus |
64 plus |
Devastation |
|
Observations and Data