Beaufort Scale
When dealing with the MRCC, Coastguard Rescue Team memebers may be asked to describe conditions and wind direction. The Beaufort scale is used to explain this.
| Force | Knots | MPH | Description | Sea | Land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Calm | Mirror Like | Calm |
| 1 | 1 – 3 | 1-3 | Light Airs | Ripples | Smoke drift |
| 2 | 4-7 | 4-6 | Light Breeze | Small Wavelets Non breaking crests | Felt On Face Leaves Rustle |
| 3 | 8-12 | 7-10 | Gentle Breeze | Large Wavelets Crests begin to break | Constant Motion of leaves & light flags |
| 4 | 13-18 | 11-16 | Moderate Breeze | Small Waves Fairly frequent white horses | Raises dust & loose paper. Small branches moving. |
| 5 | 19-24 | 17-21 | Fresh Breeze | Moderate Waves Many white hoses. Some spray. | Small Trees Sway Inland waters have crested wavelets. |
| 6 | 25-31 | 22-27 | Strong Breeze | Large Waves White foam crests. Probable spray. | Large Branches Move Phone lines whistle. Difficult to hold umbrella |
| 7 | 32-38 | 28-33 | Near Gale | Sea Heaps Up White foam starts to streak in wind direction | Whole Trees Move Difficult to walk into wind |
| 8 | 38-46 | 34-40 | Gale | Moderate High Waves Long waves with foam. | Twigs Snap From Trees Impedes forward progress |
| 9 | 47-54 | 41-47 | Severe Gale | High Waves Crests of waves tumble, topple and roll over | Slight Structural Damage Typically chimneys and roof slates |
| 10 | 55-63 | 48-55 | Storm | Very High Seas Surface takes on white appearance, heavy tumbling and visibility reduced. | Trees Uprooted Considerable structural damage |
| 11 | 64-72 | 56-63 | Violent Storm | Exceptionally High Waves Long white patches of foam everywhere. Wave crests blown into froth. Visibility severely affected. | Rare Inland Wide spread damage |
| 12 | 73-83 | 64-71 | Hurricane | Huge Waves Sea completely white, air filled with foam and spray. Visibility very seriously affected. | Very Rare Inland Devastating damage and loss of life. |
