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Windstorms <br />Windstorms: Description <br />A windstorm can be defined as a storm featuring violent winds. Damage from winds <br />can begin at speeds exceeding 41 knots, or approximately 47 mph. <br />Windstorms: Extent Scale <br />Wind extent can be measured using the Beaufort Wind Scale Developed in 1805 by Sir Francis Beaufort, <br />U.K. Royal Navy in Table 2.21. <br />Risk Assessment <br />ForceWindWMO <br />(Knots)ClassificationOn the WaterOn Land <br />0Less CalmSea surface smooth and mirror-likeCalm, smoke rises vertically <br />than 1 <br />11-3Light AirScaly ripples, no foam crestsSmoke drift indicates wind <br />direction, still wind vanes <br />24-6Light BreezeSmall wavelets, crests glassy, no breakingWind felt on face, leaves rustle, <br />vanes begin to move <br />37-10Gentle BreezeLarge wavelets, crests begin to break, Leaves and small twigs <br />scattered whitecapsconstantly moving, light flags <br />extended <br />411-16Moderate Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming longer, Dust, leaves, and loose paper <br />Breezenumerous whitecapslifted, small tree branches move <br />517-21Fresh BreezeModerate waves 4-8 ft taking longer form, Small trees in leaf begin to sway <br />many whitecaps, some spray <br />622-27Strong BreezeLarger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps common,Larger tree branches moving, <br />more spraywhistling in wires <br />728-33Near GaleSea heaps up, waves 13-19 ft, white foam Whole trees moving, resistance <br />streaks off breakersfelt walking against wind <br />834-40GaleModerately high (18-25 ft) waves of Twigs breaking off trees, <br />greater length, edges of crests begin to generally impedes progress <br />break into spindrift, foam blown in streaks <br />941-47Strong GaleHigh waves (23-32 ft), sea begins to roll, Slight structural damage occurs, <br />dense streaks of foam, spray may reduce slate blows off roofs <br />visibility <br />1048-55StormVery high waves (29-41 ft) with Seldom experienced on land, <br />overhanging crests, sea white with trees broken or uprooted, <br />densely blown foam, heavy rolling, "considerable structural <br />lowered visibilitydamage" <br />1156-63Violent StormExceptionally high (37-52 ft) waves, foam <br />patches cover sea, visibility more reduced <br />1264+HurricaneAir filled with foam, waves over 45 ft, <br />sea completely white with driving spray, <br />visibility greatly reduced <br />(NOAA, 2017) <br />! <br />Jurisdiction-specific data for location, previous occurrences, extent, probability, impact, and vulnerability <br />are found in jurisdiction annexes. <br />50 <br /> <br />