General Guidelines for Estimating Wind Speeds
Source: National Weather Service Portland, Oregon
Calm
Bft 0
Calm wind. Smoke rises vertically with little if any drift.
1-3 mph
1-5 km/h
Bft 1
Direction of wind shown by smoke drift, not by wind vanes. Little if any movement with flags. Wind barely moves tree leaves.
4-7 mph
6-11 km/h
Bft 2
Wind felt on face. Leaves rustle and small twigs move. Ordinary wind vanes move.
8-12 mph
12-20 km/h
Bft 3
Leaves and small twigs in constant motion. Wind blows up dry leaves from the ground. Flags are extended out.
13-18 mph
21-29 km/h
Bft 4
Wind moves small branches. Wind raises dust and loose paper from the ground and drives them along.
19-24 mph
30-39 km/h
Bft 5
Large branches and small trees in leaf begin to sway. Crested wavelets form on inland lakes and large rivers.
25-31 mph
40-50 km/h
Bft 6
Large brances in continous motion. Whistling sounds heard in overhead or nearby power and telephone lines. Umbrellas used with difficulty.
32-38 mph
51-61 km/h
Bft 7
Whole trees in motion. Inconvenience walking against the wind.
39-46 mph
62-74 km/h
Bft 8
Wind breaks twigs and small branches. Wind generally impedes walking.
47-54 mph
75-87 km/h
Bft 9
Structural damage occurs, such as chimney covers, roofing tiles blown off, and television antennas damaged. Ground is littered with many small twigs and broken branches.
55-63 mph
88-101 km/h
Bft 10
Considerable structural damage occurs, especially on roofs. Small trees may be blown over and uprooted.
64-75 mph
102-120 km/h
Bft 11
Widespread damage occurs. Larger trees blown over and uprooted.
75+ mph
>120 km/h
Bft 12
Severe and extensive damage. Roofs can be peeled off. Windows broken. Trees uprooted. RVs and small mobile homes overturned. Moving automobiles can be pushed off the roadways.
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Hail size estimating guidelines
Source: National Weather Service Burlington, Vermont
Hail Diameter Reference Object
0.25 in (1/4") Pea Size
0.75 in (3/4") Penny Size
0.875 in (7/8") Nickel Size
1 in Quarter Size
1.25 in (1 1/4") Half Dollar Size
1.5 in (1 1/2") Walnut or Ping Pong Ball Size
1.75 in (1 3/4") Golf Ball Size
2 in Hen Egg Size
2.5 (2 1/2") Tennis Ball Size
2.75 in (2 3/4") Baseball Size
3 in Teacup Size
4 in Grapefruit/Softball Size
4.5 in (4 1/2") CD/DVD Size
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