Beaufort Scale Converter
Convert wind speed to the Beaufort scale and back. Enter knots, km/h, m/s or mph and get the Beaufort force, description and effects for sea and land.
Wind speed inputs
Use the dropdown to explore a specific Beaufort force; the wind input will snap to the middle of the documented range.
Converted 10 km/h → Beaufort 2 (Light breeze)
How to Use This Converter
Enter your measured wind speed, pick the matching unit (knots, km/h, m/s or mph) and hit Calculate. The calculator normalizes the value, matches it to the official Beaufort force (0–12) and keeps the view synced with the dropdown so you can explore both directions.
- Type the wind speed in the field above.
- Choose the unit you measured in.
- Click Calculate or wait for the live update to see the Beaufort number, description, and ranges.
Methodology
The Beaufort scale is defined by documented ranges. The calculator first normalizes your input to km/h, then looks up the table entry whose range contains that value. No interpolation beyond the listed values is performed so results match published tables.
Formula
Example: 10 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 2.78 m/s, which is in the range 1.6–3.3 m/s → Beaufort 2.
Normalized m/s = km/h ÷ 3.6. Use the normalized speed to find the corresponding Beaufort range.
Standard ranges used
The table follows common international references such as WMO, the UK Met Office, and major meteorological services. Minor rounding between knots, km/h and m/s does not affect the Beaufort force itself.
Notes
- If your marine authority uses slightly different knot spacing, convert to km/h and compare with the table.
- Beaufort describes observable effects, not just a number—read the sea and land column before making decisions.
- For storm warnings always follow your national meteorological service.
Full original guide (expanded)
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About the author
Ugo Candido builds calculators and educational resources to help readers make better decisions with transparent models that mirror how professionals calculate Beaufort, conversions, and safety guidelines.
Contact: info@calcdomain.com
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