The Beaufort scale is a resource that was implemented to measure the intensity of the wind, established fundamentally in the movement of the sea, its waves and the force of the wind. Its full name is the Beaufort scale of the force of the winds.
The scale was founded by the Irish naval chief, Sir Francis Beaufort, he was an admiral in the British Navy and that was approximately around the year 1805. At first the scale did not possess wind speeds, but determined a series of specific scenarios from 0 to 12 according to how the boat would proceed under each one of them, from which medium enough to operate until it became unstable for the sails. The scale became a type of model compass for Royal Navy vessels in the late 1830s.
But they had also realized that it was very useful and later was adequate to be able to be used on land.
The Beaufort scale calculates the power of the wind, mainly based on the strength of the wind, the height and shape of the waves and the state of the sea. The Beaufort scale is fragmented into 12 degrees:
- Force 0: Peaceful Speed: it is below 1 mile per hour, less than 2 kph (kilometers per hour).
- Force 1: Light Wind Speed: it is between 1 to 3 miles per hour, in kilometers per hour it would be between 2 to 6 kph.
- Force 2: Speed Light breeze: it is between 4 to 7 miles per hour, and between 7 to 11 kilometers per hour.
- Force 3: Soft breeze speed: its speed is between 8 to 12 miles per hour mph, that is, 12 to 19 kilometers per hour.
- Force 4: Speed Moderate breeze: its approximate speed is 13 to 18 miles, or 20 to 29 kilometers per hour.
- Force 5: Moderate breeze speed: between 19 to 24 miles per hour, or 30-39 kilometers per hour.
- Force 6: Strong breeze speed: speed between 25 to 31 mph, 40-50 kph.
- Force 7: Moderate gale speed: between 32 to 38 mph, or 51 to 61 kph.
- Force 8: Medium Gale Speed: Wind force between 39 to 46 mph, or equivalent to 62-74 kph.
- Force 9: Strong Gale Speed: average force of 47-54 mph, or 75-87 kph.
- Force 10: Intense Gale Speed: 55-63 miles per hour (mph), 88-101 kilometers per hour (kph).
- Force 11 Storm Speed: is between 64-74 mph, or 101-119 kph.
- Force 12: Hurricane Speed: is between 75 (mph) or more than 120 kph.
