Beaufort Descriptive Units Units Description Description at Sea

scale term in in on Land

number km/h knots

0 Calm 0 0 Smoke rises Sea like a mirror.

vertically

1-3 Light winds 19 10 Wind felt on Small wavelets, ripples formed but do not
km/h knots face; leaves break: A glassy appearance maintained.
or or rustle;
less less ordinary
vanes moved
by wind.

4 Moderate 20 - 11-16 Raises dust Small waves - becoming longer; fairly

winds 29 knots and loose frequent white horses.
km/h paper; small
branches are
moved.

5 Fresh winds 30 - 17-21 Small trees in Moderate waves, taking a more

39 knots leaf begin to pronounced long form; many white horses
km/h sway; crested are formed - a chance of some spray
wavelets form
on inland
waters

6 Strong 40 - 22-27 Large Large waves begin to form; the white foam
winds 50 knots branches in crests are more extensive with probably
km/h motion; some spray
whistling
heard in
telephone
wires;
umbrellas
used with
difficulty.

7 Near gale 51 - 28-33 Whole trees in Sea heaps up and white foam from
62 knots motion; breaking waves begins to be blown in
km/h inconvenience streaks along direction of wind.
felt when
walking
against wind.
8 Gale 63 - 34-40 Twigs break Moderately high waves of greater length;
75 knots off trees; edges of crests begin to break into
km/h progress spindrift; foam is blown in well-marked
generally streaks along the direction of the wind.
impeded.

9 Strong gale 76 - 41-47 Slight High waves; dense streaks of foam; crests
87 knots structural of waves begin to topple, tumble and roll
km/h damage over; spray may affect visibility.
occurs -
roofing
dislodged;
larger
branches
break off.

10 Storm 88 - 48-55 Seldom Very high waves with long overhanging

102 knots experienced crests; the resulting foam in great patches
km/h inland; trees is blown in dense white streaks; the surface
uprooted; of the sea takes on a white appearance;
considerable the tumbling of the sea becomes heavy
structural with visibility affected.
damage.

11 Violent 103 - 56-63 Very rarely Exceptionally high waves; small and
storm 117 knots experienced - medium sized ships occasionally lost from
km/h widespread view behind waves; the sea is completely
damage covered with long white patches of foam;
the edges of wave crests are blown into
froth.

12+ Hurricane 118 64 Very rarely The air is filled with foam and spray. Sea
km/h knots experienced - completely white with driving spray;
or or widespread visibility very seriously affected
more more damage

Beaufort Wind Scale

Please note: Beaufort scale numbers and descriptive terms such as 'near

gale', 'strong gale' and 'violent storm' are not normally used in Bureau of

Meteorology communications or forecasts.