Beaufort scale

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Force 12 at sea.

The Beaufort scale /ˈbfərt/ is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale, although it is a measure of wind speed and not of force in the scientific sense.


The scale was devised in 1805 by Francis Beaufort (later Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort), an Irish Royal Navy officer, while serving in HMS Woolwich. The scale that carries Beaufort's name had a long and complex evolution from the previous work of others (including Daniel Defoe the century before) to when Beaufort was a top administrator in the Royal Navy in the 1830s when it was adopted officially and first used during the voyage of HMS Beagle under Captain Robert FitzRoy, later to set up the first Meteorological Office (Met Office) in Britain giving regular weather forecasts.[1] In the early 19th century, naval officers made regular weather observations, but there was no standard scale and so they could be very subjective – one man's "stiff breeze" might be another's "soft breeze". Beaufort succeeded in standardizing the scale.

Sir Francis Beaufort


The scale was made a standard for ship's log entries on Royal Navy vessels in the late 1830s and was adapted to non-naval use from the 1850s, with scale numbers corresponding to cup anemometer rotations. In 1916, to accommodate the growth of steam power, the descriptions were changed to how the sea, not the sails, behaved and extended to land observations. Rotations to scale numbers were standardized only in 1923. George Simpson, C.B.E. (Later Sir George Simpson), Director of the UK Meteorological Office, was responsible for this and for the addition of the land-based descriptors.[1] The measure was slightly altered some decades later to improve its utility for meteorologists. Today, many countries have abandoned the scale and use the metric system based units, m/s or km/h, instead,[citation needed] but the severe weather warnings given to the public are still approximately the same as when using the Beaufort scale.

The Beaufort scale was extended in 1946, when forces 13 to 17 were added.[3] However, forces 13 to 17 were intended to apply only to special cases, such as tropical cyclones. Nowadays, the extended scale is only used in Taiwan and mainland China, which are often affected by typhoons. Internationally, WMO Manual on Marine Meteorological Services (2012 edition) defined the Beaufort Scale only up to Force 12 and there was no recommendation on the use of the extended scale.[4]

Wind speed on the 1946 Beaufort scale is based on the empirical relationship:[5]

v = 0.836 B3/2 m/s

Where v is the equivalent wind speed at 10 metres above the sea surface and B is Beaufort scale number. For example, B = 9.5 is related to 24.5 m/s which is equal to the lower limit of "10 Beaufort". Using this formula the highest winds in hurricanes would be 23 in the scale.

Today, hurricane force winds are sometimes described as Beaufort scale 12 through 16, very roughly related to the respective category speeds of the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, by which actual hurricanes are measured, where Category 1 is equivalent to Beaufort 12. However, the extended Beaufort numbers above 13 do not match the Saffir–Simpson Scale. Category 1 tornados on the Fujita and TORRO scales also begin roughly at the end of level 12 of the Beaufort scale, but are independent scales – although the TORRO scale wind values are based on the 3/2 power law relating wind velocity to Beaufort force.[6]

Note that wave heights in the scale are for conditions in the open ocean, not along the shore.

Modern scale[edit]

Beaufort number Description Wind speed Wave height Sea conditions Land conditions Sea state photo Associated Warning Flag
0 Calm < 1.1 km/h 0 m Flat. Calm. Smoke rises vertically. Beaufort scale 0.jpg
< 0.7 mph
< 0.6 knot 0 ft
< 0.3 m/s
1 Light air 1.1–5.5 km/h 0–0.2 m Ripples without crests. Smoke drift indicates wind direction. Leaves and wind vanes are stationary. Beaufort scale 1.jpg
0.7–3.4 mph
0.6–3 knot 0–1 ft
0.3–1.5 m/s
2 Light breeze 5.5–11.9 km/h 0.2–0.5 m Small wavelets. Crests of glassy appearance, not breaking Wind felt on exposed skin. Leaves rustle. Wind vanes begin to move. Beaufort scale 2.jpg
3.4–7.4 mph
3–6.4 knot 1–2 ft
1.5–3.3 m/s
3 Gentle breeze 11.9–19.7 km/h 0.5–1 m Large wavelets. Crests begin to break; scattered whitecaps Leaves and small twigs constantly moving, light flags extended. Beaufort scale 3.jpg
7.4–12.2 mph
6.4–10.6 knot 2–3.5 ft
3.3–5.5 m/s
4 Moderate breeze 19.7–28.7 km/h 1–2 m Small waves with breaking crests. Fairly frequent whitecaps. Dust and loose paper raised. Small branches begin to move. Beaufort scale 4.jpg
12.2–17.9 mph
10.6–15.5 knot 3.5–6 ft
5.5–8 m/s
5 Fresh breeze 28.7–38.8 km/h 2–3 m Moderate waves of some length. Many whitecaps. Small amounts of spray. Branches of a moderate size move. Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Beaufort scale 5.jpg
17.9–24.1 mph
15.5–21 knot 6–9 ft
8–10.8 m/s
6 Strong breeze 38.8–49.9 km/h 3–4 m Long waves begin to form. White foam crests are very frequent. Some airborne spray is present. Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic bins tip over. Beaufort scale 6.jpg Gale pennant.svg
24.1–31 mph
21–26.9 knot 9–13 ft
10.8–13.9 m/s
7 High wind,
moderate gale,
near gale
49.9–61.8 km/h 4–5.5 m Sea heaps up. Some foam from breaking waves is blown into streaks along wind direction. Moderate amounts of airborne spray. Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind. Beaufort scale 7.jpg Gale pennant.svg
31–38.4 mph
26.9–33.4 knot 13–19 ft
13.9–17.2 m/s
8 Gale,
fresh gale
61.8–74.6 km/h 5.5–7.5 m Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift. Well-marked streaks of foam are blown along wind direction. Considerable airborne spray. Some twigs broken from trees. Cars veer on road. Progress on foot is seriously impeded. Beaufort scale 8.jpg Gale pennant.svg
Gale pennant.svg
38.4–46.3 mph
33.4–40.3 knot 18–25 ft
17.2–20.7 m/s
9 Strong gale 74.6–88.1 km/h 7–10 m 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. Beaufort scale 9.jpg Gale pennant.svg
Gale pennant.svg
46.3-54.8 mph
40.3–47.6 knot 23–32 ft
20.7–24.5 m/s
10 Storm,[7]
whole gale
88.1–102.4 km/h 9–12.5 m Very high waves with overhanging crests. Large patches of foam from wave crests give the sea a white appearance. Considerable tumbling of waves with heavy impact. Large amounts of airborne spray reduce visibility. Trees are broken off or uprooted, structural damage likely. Beaufort scale 10.jpg Storm warning.svg
54.8–63.6 mph
47.6–55.3 knot 29–41 ft
24.5–28.4 m/s
11 Violent storm 102.4–117.4 km/h 11.5–16 m Exceptionally high waves. Very large patches of foam, driven before the wind, cover much of the sea surface. Very large amounts of airborne spray severely reduce visibility. Widespread vegetation and structural damage likely. Beaufort scale 11.jpg Storm warning.svg
63.6–72.9 mph
55.3–63.4 knot 37–52 ft
28.4–32.6 m/s
12 Hurricane force [7] ≥ 117.4 km/h ≥ 14 m Huge waves. Sea is completely white with foam and spray. Air is filled with driving spray, greatly reducing visibility. Severe widespread damage to vegetation and structures. Debris and unsecured objects are hurled about. Beaufort scale 12.jpg Storm warning.svg

Storm warning.svg
≥ 72.9 mph
≥ 63.4 knot ≥ 46 ft
≥ 32.6 m/s

The scale is used in the Shipping Forecasts broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom, and in the Sea Area Forecast from Met Éireann, the Irish Meteorological Service. Met Éireann issues a "Small Craft Warning" if winds of Beaufort force 6 (mean wind speed exceeding 22 knots) are expected up to 10 nautical miles offshore. Other warnings are issued by Met Éireann for Irish coastal waters, which are regarded as extending 30 miles out from the coastline, and the Irish Sea or part thereof: "Gale Warnings" are issued if winds of Beaufort force 8 are expected; "Strong Gale Warnings" are issued if winds of Beaufort force 9 or frequent gusts of at least 52 knots are expected.; "Storm Force Warnings" are issued if Beaufort force 10 or frequent gusts of at least 61 knots are expected; "Violent Storm Force Warnings" are issued if Beaufort force 11 or frequent gusts of at least 69 knots are expected; "Hurricane Force Warnings" are issued if winds of greater than 64 knots are expected.

This scale is also widely used in the Netherlands, Germany,[8] Greece, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malta and Macau, however with some differences between them. Taiwan uses the Beaufort scale with the extension to 17 noted above. China also switched to this extended version without prior notice on the morning of 15 May 2006,[9] and the extended scale was immediately put to use for Typhoon Chanchu. Hong Kong and Macau however keep using force 12 as the maximum.

In the United States, winds of force 6 or 7 result in the issuance of a small craft advisory, with force 8 or 9 winds bringing about a gale warning, force 10 or 11 a storm warning ("a tropical storm warning" being issued instead of the latter two if the winds relate to a tropical cyclone), and force 12 a hurricane force wind warning (or hurricane warning if related to a tropical cyclone). A set of red warning flags (daylight) and red warning lights (night time) is displayed at shore establishments which coincide with the various levels of warning.

In Canada, maritime winds forecast to be in the range of 6 to 7 are designated as "strong"; 8 to 9 "gale force"; 10 to 11 "storm force"; 12 "hurricane force". Appropriate wind warnings are issued by Environment Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada: strong wind warning, gale (force wind) warning, storm (force wind) warning and hurricane force wind warning. These designations were standardized nationally in 2008, whereas "light wind" can refer to 0 to 12 or 0 to 15 knots and "moderate wind" 12 to 19 or 16 to 19 knots, depending on regional custom, definition or practice. Prior to 2008, a "strong wind warning" would have been referred to as a "small craft warning" by Environment Canada, similar to US terminology. (Canada and the USA have the Great Lakes in common.)

See also[edit]


  • Huler, Scott (2004). Defining the Wind: The Beaufort Scale, and How a 19th-Century Admiral Turned Science into Poetry. Crown. ISBN 1-4000-4884-2. 
  1. ^ a b "National Meteorological Library and Archive Fact sheet 6 — The Beaufort Scale" (PDF). Met Office. Retrieved 2011-05-13. 
  3. ^ Walter J. Saucier (1955). Principles of Meteorological Analysis. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
  4. ^
  5. ^ Tom Beer (1997). Environmental Oceanography. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-8425-7. 
  6. ^ Maiden, Terence. "T-Scale: Origins and Scientific Basis". TORRO. Retrieved 2012-01-04. 
  7. ^ a b The names "storm" and "hurricane" on the Beaufort scale refer only to wind strength, and do not necessarily mean that other severe weather (for instance, a thunderstorm or tropical cyclone) is present. To avoid confusion, strong wind warnings will often speak of e.g. "hurricane-force winds".
  8. ^ "Wetterlexikon - Beaufort-Skala" (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 2014-02-14. 
  9. ^ 昨日实行新标准"珍珠"属强台风_新闻中心_新浪网

External links[edit]