Beaufort Wind Scale
Beaufort Wind Scale Developed in 1806 by Sir Francis Beaufort of England The Beaufort Scale was created to standardize wind strength observations. Eventually adopted by the Royal Navy in 1830 it became the standard. With slight variations over the years, the scale is still used in some countries. Nowadays there are many more instruments and wind gauges available. However the Beaufort Scale is still the best way to estimate the wind speed based purely on visual observations of the sea state. In some countries, the scale goes beyond 12, and has classifications from 13-17, which are for special situations like typhoons (hurricanes). Here is the most common version of the Beaufort Scale. Force Wind (Knots) Wind (mph) WMO Classification Appearance of Wind Effects On the Water On Land 0 Less than 1 Less than 1 Calm Sea surface…