Beaufort number

Description km/h

Wind speed mph kts m/s

Wave height m ft

Sea conditions

Land conditions

Sea state photo

Calm

<1

<1

<1

< 0.3

Flat like a mirror.

Calm. Smoke rises vertically.

Light air

1.1 5.5

13

12

0.3 1.5

0 0.2

01

Ripples without crests.

Wind motion visible in smoke.

Light breeze

5.6 11

47

36

1.6 3.4

0.2 0.5

12

Small wavelets. Crests of glassy appearance, not breaking Large wavelets. Crests begin to break; scattered whitecaps Small waves with breaking crests. Fairly frequent white horses. Moderate waves of some length. Many white horses. Small amounts of spray. Long waves begin to form. White foam crests are very frequent. Some airborne spray is present. Sea heaps up. Some foam from breaking waves is blown into streaks along wind direction. Moderate amounts of airborne spray.

Wind felt on exposed skin. Leaves rustle.

Gentle breeze

12 19

8 12

7 10

3.4 5.4

0.5 1

2 3.5

Leaves and smaller twigs in constant motion. Dust and loose paper raised. Small branches begin to move. Branches of a moderate size move. Small trees begin to sway. Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic garbage cans tip over. Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind. Swaying of skyscrapers may be felt, especially by people on upper floors.

Moderate breeze

20 28

13 17

11 15

5.5 7.9

12

3.5 6

Fresh breeze

29 38

18 24

16 20

8.0 10.7

23

69

Strong breeze

39 49

25 30

21 26

10.8 13.8

34

9 13

High wind, Moderate gale, Near gale

50 61

31 38

27 33

13.9 17.1

4 5.5

13 19

Gale, Fresh gale

62 74

39 46

34 40

17.2 20.7

5.5 7.5

Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift. Well- Some twigs broken from marked streaks of trees. Cars veer on 17.2 20.7 foam are blown along road. Progress on foot is wind direction. seriously impeded. Considerable airborne spray. High waves whose crests sometimes roll over. Dense foam is blown along wind direction. Large amounts of airborne spray may begin to reduce visibility. Some branches break off trees, and some small trees blow over. Construction/temporary signs and barricades blow over. Damage to circus tents and canopies.

Strong gale

75 88

47 54

41 47

20.8 24.4

7 10

23 32

10

Storm[6], Whole gale

89 102

55 63

48 55

24.5 28.4

9 12.5

29 41

Very high waves with overhanging crests. Large patches of foam Trees are broken off or from wave crests give uprooted, saplings bent the sea a white and deformed. Poorly appearance. attached asphalt Considerable tumbling shingles and shingles in of waves with heavy poor condition peel off impact. Large roofs. amounts of airborne spray reduce visibility. Exceptionally high Widespread damage to waves. Very large vegetation. Many roofing patches of foam, surfaces are damaged; driven before the wind, asphalt tiles that have cover much of the sea curled up and/or surface. Very large fractured due to age amounts of airborne may break away spray severely reduce completely. visibility. Very widespread Huge waves. Sea is damage to vegetation. completely white with Some windows may foam and spray. Air is break; mobile homes filled with driving and poorly constructed spray, greatly reducing sheds and barns are visibility. damaged. Debris may be hurled about.

11

Violent storm 103 117

64 72

56 63

28.5 32.6

11.5 16

37 52

12

Hurricane[6]

118

73

64

32.7

14

46