The Beaufort scale
Meteorologists use an anemometer — a special instrument — to measure wind speed. But, you can measure it by looking outside.
Way back in the early 1800’s, Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort needed a way to tell how fast the wind was blowing while he was sailing at sea. He developed the Beaufort Scale based on the height of the ocean waves. Since then, a Beaufort Scale has been created for land too.
On the next windy day, try your hand at measuring wind speed just by looking out your window or around your neighborhood! (Click on the image above to read or print the scale.)
Image courtesy of Mount Washington Observatory.
Learn fun facts about wind!
- Wind energy can generate electricity. In 2008, 31 U.S. States created electricity from the wind. Texas, California, Iowa, Minnesota, and Oklahoma generated the most.
- Wind is measured by speed and the direction from which it blows. An “easterly” wind blows from the east to the west. A “westerly” wind blows from the west to the east. You can find wind speed and direction on a weather map.
- Hurricanes are measured according to how high their winds blow. A Category 1 hurricane has winds between 74-95 miles per hour. A Category 5 storm has winds at or above 156 miles per hour. Hurricane-force winds can do a lot of damage.
Top image courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy; middle image courtesy of the National Weather Service; bottom image by Carlye Calvin, courtesy of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.