Two On A Big Ocean The Story of the First Circumnavigation
of the Pacific Basin
in a Small Sailing Ship


      

Other Books by
Hal Roth
| Home | Mailing Lists | Bookstore | Weather | Tide Predictions | Bowditch |

Silicon Sea: Beaufort Wind Scale


Subject: Silicon Sea: Beaufort Wind Scale
From: Dan Hogan (dhhogan1@XXX.XXX)
Date: Tue Oct 15 2002 - 12:32:05 EDT


Beaufort Scale of Wind Force

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. Speed Description Height of Sea Deep Sea Criteria
     Knots* Meters Feet**
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 Less Calm - - Sea mirror smooth
     Than 1

1 1-3 Light Air 0.08 1/4 Small wavelett like
                                                     scales, no crests.

2 4-6 Light Breeze 0.15 1/2 Small wavelets still
                                                     short but more
                                                     pronounced Crests
                                                     glassey and do not

3 7-10 Gentle Breeze 0.6 2 Large waveletts crests
                                                     break.Foam is glassy.
                                                     Crests begin to break.
                                                     Foam is glassey.

4 11-16 Moderate Breeze 1.0 3 1/2 Small waves becoming
                                                     longer; more frequent
                                                     white horses.

5 17-21 Fresh Breeze 1.8 6 Moderate waves, and
                                                     longer; many white
                                                     horses.

6 22-27 Strong Breeze 2.9 9 1/2 Large waves begin to
                                                     form; white crests more
                                                     extensive.

7 28-33 Near Gale 4.1 13 1/2 Sea heaps up; white foam
                                                     blown in streaks.

8 34-40 Gale 5.5 18 Moderately high waves of
                                                     greater length; crests
                                                     begin to form spindrift.
                                                     Foam blown in well
                                                     marked streaks.

9 41-47 Strong Gale 7.0 23 High waves dense streaks
                                                     of foam. Crests begin to
                                                     roll over.

10 48-55 Storm 8.8 29 Very high waves with
                                                     long overhanging crests.
                                                     Surface of the sea
                                                     becomes white with
                                                     great patches of foam.
                                                     Visibility affected.

11 56-63 Violent Storm 11.3 37 Exceptionally high
                                                     waves. Sea completely
                                                     covered with foam.

     64+ Hurricane The air is filled with
                                                     spray and visibility
                                                     seriously affected.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Measured at height of 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level.
** In the open sea remote from land.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dan Hogan WA6PBY
C27 "Gacha"
dhhogan1@XXX.XXX
Nav-L Page: http://www.wa6pby.com





| Home | Mailing Lists | Bookstore | Weather | Tide Predictions | Bowditch | Trawlerworld |