Wind direction and speed
Examples of wind forecasts are shown in the p☼int meteograms and Pict☼cast, the unique windSP☼T and under wind MAPS.
Wind measurement units
- 0° = North (North wind) [5].
- 45° = Northeast (Northeast wind) [6].
- 90° = East (East wind) [7].
- 135° = Southeast (Southeast wind) [8].
- 180° = South (South wind) [1].
- 225° = South (South wind) [2].
- 270° = West (West wind) [3].
- 315° = Northwest (Northwest wind) [4].
- 360° = North [5].
For wind speed, there are different measuring scales:
- kilometers per hour (km/h): 1 km/h = 0.27778 m/s
- meters per second (m/s): 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h
- knots (kn): 1 kn = 1.852 km/h
- Beaufort (see table below)
External information can be found under wind speed, wind barbs and UCAR.
Wind measurement
Standard Modell forecast output is shown as:
- Wind speed (average of all wind speeds calculated at each model interval of the previous hour)
- Wind gusts (highest wind speed of all calculated at each model interval of the previous hour).
Wind speed is measured in the same way as calculated in the forecast. Wind gusts are measured differently by weather service. Some report gusts as the average of 10 measurement seconds, others of 2 measurement seconds, some as the highest speed measured at any moment.
The turbulence increases with the difference between wind speed and wind gusts in absolute terms (km/h or others).
Beaufort scale, wind table and wind symbols
Wind scale for land
| Wind scale for the sea
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Wind symbols
Wind symbols represent the speed and direction of the wind for a time period referenced in the forecast.
Wind symbols are used hourly, or for time periods of a date (0-24 o'clock), day and night (as determined by sunrise and sunset), and day periods (morning afternoon, evening, night). When used hourly, the symbol applies for the hour indicated. When used for intervals, they represent averages, maxima or minima of the period which is indicated.
The Symbol collection is a overview of the International Convention for representing wind direction and speed with a symbol.
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