Beaufort Wind Scale

Developed in 1805 by Sir Francis Beaufort of England

Wind WMO Appearance of Wind Effects

Force (Knots) Classification On the Water On Land
Less Sea surface smooth and mirror- Calm, smoke rises
0 Calm
than 1 like vertically
Smoke drift indicates
1 1-3 Light Air Scaly ripples, no foam crests wind direction, still wind
vanes
Wind felt on face, leaves
Small wavelets, crests glassy,
2 4-6 Light Breeze rustle, vanes begin to
no breaking
move
Leaves and small twigs
Large wavelets, crests begin to
3 7-10 Gentle Breeze constantly moving, light
break, scattered whitecaps
flags extended
Dust, leaves, and loose
Moderate Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming
4 11-16 paper lifted, small tree
Breeze longer, numerous whitecaps
branches move
Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking
Small trees in leaf begin
5 17-21 Fresh Breeze longer form, many whitecaps,
to sway
some spray
Larger tree branches
Larger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps
6 22-27 Strong Breeze moving, whistling in
common, more spray
wires
Whole trees moving,
Sea heaps up, waves 13-19 ft,
7 28-33 Near Gale resistance felt walking
white foam streaks off breakers
against wind
Moderately high (18-25 ft)
Twigs breaking off trees,
waves of greater length, edges
8 34-40 Gale generally impedes
of crests begin to break into
progress
spindrift, foam blown in streaks
High waves (23-32 ft), sea
Slight structural damage
begins to roll, dense streaks of
9 41-47 Strong Gale occurs, slate blows off
foam, spray may reduce
roofs
visibility
Very high waves (29-41 ft) with Seldom experienced on
overhanging crests, sea white land, trees broken or
10 48-55 Storm
with densely blown foam, heavy uprooted, "considerable
rolling, lowered visibility structural damage"
11 56-63 Violent Storm Exceptionally high (37-52 ft)
waves, foam patches cover sea,
 visibility more reduced
Air filled with foam, waves
over 45 ft, sea completely white
12 64+ Hurricane
with driving spray, visibility
greatly reduced