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Wind Strength is usually measured on the Beaufort Wind Force Scale in miles per hour.
This table gives you an indication of what each number on that scale looks and feels like (metric and non-metric!).
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Beaufort
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Description
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Observation
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Miles per hour
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Kilometers per hour
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F0
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Calm
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Vertical Smoke
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1
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1.61
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F1
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Light Air
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Slight smoke drift, wind vanes stop moving;
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1 to 3
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1.61 to
4.82
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F2
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Light breeze
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Leaves gently rustle; wind vanes start to move
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4 to 7
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6.44 to
11.27
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F3
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Gentle breeze
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Leaves and twigs move
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8 to 12
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12.87 to
19.31
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F4
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Moderate breeze
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Raises paper moves small branches
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13 to 18
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20.92 to
28.97
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F5
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Fresh Breeze
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Sways small leafy trees
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19 to 24
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30.58 to
38.62
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F6
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Strong Breeze
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Sways large branches
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25 to 31
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40.23 to
49.89
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F7
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Moderate gale
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Trees sway
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32 to 38
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51.5 to
61.16
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F8
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Fresh gale
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Broken twigs, walking impeded
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39 to 46
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62.76 to
74.03
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F9
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Strong gale
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Chimneys, slates, hoardings damaged
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47 to 54
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75.64 to
86.9
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F10
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Whole gale
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Trees blown down and considerable damage
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55 to 63
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88.51 to
101.39
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F11
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Storm
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Major damage
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64 to 75
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103 to
120.7
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F12
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Hurricane
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Very dangerous tropical whirling winds
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76+
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122.3+
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You will note the references to ‘smoke’ reflects the age when the Scale was developed (1805 and updated 1946) - before central heating and smokeless zones. If you are by the sea you might like these descriptions.
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