Writer Scott Huler talks about the "poetry" of the Beaufort wind scale and its inventor, Sir Francis Beaufort. Huler is the author of Defining the Wind: The Beaufort Scale, and How a 19th-Century Admiral Turned Science into Poetry.
Web Extra: The Complete Beaufort Scale
0 (calm): less than 1 mph; calm, smoke rises vertically
1 (light air): 1-3 mph; direction of wind shown by smoke but not by wind vanes
2 (light breeze): 4-7 mph; wind felt on face, leaves rustle, ordinary vane moved by wind
3 (gentle breeze): 8-12 mph; leaves and small twigs in constant motion, wind extends light flag
4 (moderate breeze): 13-18 mph; raises dust and loose paper, small branches are moved
5 (fresh breeze): 19-24 mph; small trees in leaf begin to sway, crested wavelets form on inland waters
6 (strong breeze): 25-31 mph; large branches in motion, telegraph wires whistle, umbrellas used with difficulty
7 (moderate gale or near gale): 32-38 mph; whole trees in motion, inconvenience in walking against the wind
8 (fresh gale or gale): 39-46 mph; breaks twigs off trees, generally impedes progress
9 (strong gale): 47-54 mph; slight structural damage occurs, chimney pots and slates removed
10 (whole gale or storm): 55-63 mph; trees uprooted, considerable structural damage occurs
11 (storm or violent storm): 64-72 mph; very rarely experienced, accompanied by widespread damage
12 (hurricane): 73-136 mph; devastation occurs
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
