Editing Beaufort scale (section)

== Use ==
The scale is used in the [[Shipping Forecast]]s broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4]] in the United Kingdom, and in the Sea Area Forecast from [[Met Éireann]], the Irish Meteorological Service. Met Éireann issues a "Small Craft Warning" if winds of Beaufort force 6 (mean wind speed exceeding 22 knots) are expected up to 10 nautical miles offshore. Other warnings are issued by Met Éireann for Irish coastal waters, which are regarded as extending 30 miles out from the coastline, and the Irish Sea or part thereof: "Gale Warnings" are issued if winds of Beaufort force 8 are expected; "Strong Gale Warnings" are issued if winds of Beaufort force 9 or frequent gusts of at least 52 knots are expected.; "Storm Force Warnings" are issued if Beaufort force 10 or frequent gusts of at least 61 knots are expected; "Violent Storm Force Warnings" are issued if Beaufort force 11 or frequent gusts of at least 69 knots are expected; "Hurricane Force Warnings" are issued if winds of greater than 64 knots are expected.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

This scale is also widely used in the Netherlands, Germany,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deutscher-wetterdienst.de/lexikon/index.htm?ID=B&DAT=Beaufort-Skala |title=Wetterlexikon - Beaufort-Skala |publisher=[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] |access-date=2014-02-14 |language=de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212205023/http://www.deutscher-wetterdienst.de/lexikon/index.htm?ID=B&DAT=Beaufort-Skala |archive-date=12 December 2013}}</ref> Greece, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malta, and Macau, although with some differences between them. Taiwan uses the Beaufort scale with the extension to 17 noted above. China also switched to this extended version without prior notice on the morning of 15 May 2006,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2006-05-16/06518935033s.shtml|title=昨日实行新标准"珍珠"属强台风_新闻中心_新浪网|website=news.sina.com.cn}}</ref> and the extended scale was immediately put to use for [[Typhoon Chanchu]]. [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]] retain force 12 as the maximum.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In the United States of America, winds of force 6 or 7 result in the issuance of a [[small craft advisory]], with force 8 or 9 winds bringing about a [[gale warning]], force 10 or 11 a [[storm warning]] ("a [[tropical storm warning]]" being issued instead of the latter two if the winds relate to a [[tropical cyclone]]), and force 12 a [[storm warning|hurricane-force wind warning]] (or [[Hurricane force wind warning|hurricane warning]] if related to a tropical cyclone). A set of red warning flags (daylight) and red warning lights (night time) is displayed at shore establishments which coincide with the various levels of warning.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}

In Canada, maritime winds forecast to be in the range of 6 to 7 are designated as "strong"; 8 to 9 "gale force"; 10 to 11 "storm force"; 12 "hurricane force". Appropriate wind warnings are issued by Environment Canada's Meteorological Service of Canada: strong wind warning, gale (force wind) warning, storm (force wind) warning and hurricane-force wind warning. These designations were standardised nationally in 2008, whereas "light wind" can refer to 0 to 12 or 0 to 15 knots and "moderate wind" 12 to 19 or 16 to 19 knots, depending on regional custom, definition or practice. Prior to 2008, a "strong wind warning" would have been referred to as a "small craft warning" by Environment Canada, similar to US terminology. (Canada and the USA have the Great Lakes in common.){{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}