BEAUFORT WIND SCALE AND EFFECTS OBSERVED AT SEA
0 - under 1 kt Calm Sea like a mirror.
Beaufort Scale - Wind Speed - Effects Observed At Sea
1 - 1-3 kts Light Air - Ripples with appearance of scales, no foam crests.
2 - 4-6 kts Light Breeze - Small wavelets, crests of glassy appearance, not breaking.
3 - 7-10 kts Gentle Breeze - Large wavelets, crests begin to break, scattered whitecaps.
4 - 11-16 kts Moderate Breeze - . 5 - 1.25 meters high, becoming longer, numerous whitecaps.
5 - 17-21 kts Fresh Breeze - Moderate waves of 1.25 - 2.5 meters taking longer form, many whitecaps, some spray.
6 - 22-27 kts Strong Breeze - Larger waves 2.5 - 4 meters, forming whitecaps everywhere, more spray.
7 - 28-33 kts Near Gale - Sea heaps up, waves 4-6 meters, white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks.
8 - 34-40 kts Gale -Moderately high (4-6 meter) waves of greater length, edges of crests begin to break into spindrift, foam is blown in well marked streaks.
9 - 41-47 kts Strong Gale -High waves (6 meters) sea begins to roll, dense streaks of foam, spray may reduce visibility.
10 - 48-55 kts Storm - Very high waves (6-9 meters) with overhanging crests, sea takes a white appearance as foam is blown in very dense streaks rolling is heavy and visibility is reduced.
11 - 56-63 kts Violent Storm - Exceptionally high (9-14 meters) waves, sea covered with white foam patches,visibility stilI more reduced.
12 - 64 and over - Hurricane Air filled with foam waves over 14 meters, sea completely white with driving spray, visibility greatly reduced.
