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Topic: Beaufort Scale

The Beaufort scale is a ethod of measuring the wind strength on land or on the sea.  We are providing it here as a means to guest-i-mate the wind strength.

Scale Land description Sea description km/h mph
0 Still Air. Smoke rises vertically. Mirror-like water surface. 0-1 0
1 Rising Smoke drifts. Weather vane still inactive. Small ripples on surface. 2-6 1-3
2 Leaves Rustle. You can feel the wind on your face. Weather vane is still inactive. Small glassy wavelets. 6-11 4-7
3 Leaves and Twigs move around. Light weight flags extend. Large wavelets. Some white caps. 12-19 8-11
4 Thin branches move. Wind may raise dust and paper. Small waves. Frequent white caps. 20-30 12-18
5 Small trees sway. Moderate waves. Many white caps. Some spray possible. 31-39 19-24
6 Large tree branches move. Exposed wire may whistle. Large waves. All white caps. Some spray. 40-50 25-31
7 Large trees sway. Resistance felt when walking. Seas heap up the waves. Some foam streaks off waves. 51-61 32-38
8 Walking impossible Extremely high waves 62-74 39-46
9 Tiles  are detached from rooftops Violent storm and fly waves like mountain. 75-88 47-54
10 Trees are uprooted. Objects become detached Visibility difficult. 89-102 55-63
11 Extensive damage Huge waves 103-117 64-72
12 Severe damage Violent cyclones 118+ 74
Disclaimer

Paragliding is a dangerous sport, and should be taught by a qualified instructor! These lessons are not meant to teach new students how to fly, but rather to enhance current students and pilot training. Please do not attempt to fly on your own after reading these articles. Serious bodily injury including death can occur. If you have questions concerning the sport please contact info@flytorrey.com. We would be happy to refer you to a qualified instructor in your area, if you are not local to Southern California. If you have questions regarding our program here at Torrey Pines, click here!

Air California Adventures, Inc. & Torrey Pines Gliderport
2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla CA 92037 - USA
Tel: (1) 858.452.9858  Fax: (1) 858.452.9983
Windtalker: (1) 858.452.6802
http://www.flytorrey.com  info@flytorrey.com
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