Isolated to scattered Severe Thunderstorms are expected today as a cold front moves towards the area from the west and develops waves of showers and thunderstorms moving east northeast from the Florida panhandle. Main impacts will be gusty winds 40-60 mph, large hail, and perhaps even an isolated tornado. Read More >
Hail Size Reference Chart | |
Hail Diameter (Inches) | Reference Object |
0.25 | Pea |
0.50 | Mothball |
0.75 | Penny |
0.88 | Nickel |
1.00 | Quarter |
1.25 | Half Dollar |
1.50 | Ping Pong Ball |
1.75 | Golfball |
2.00 | Hen Egg |
2.50 | Tennis Ball |
2.75 | Baseball |
3.00 | Teacup |
4.00 | Grapefruit |
4.50 | Softball |
Beaufort Wind Speed Estimate Scale | |||||
Beaufort | Description | Wind Speed | Observations | ||
MPH | Knots | On Land | On Water Surfaces | ||
0 | Calm | 0 | 0-1 | Calm. Smoke rises vertically. | Waters are mirror smooth. |
1 | Light Air | 1-3 | 1-3 | Smokes drift indicates wind direction. Still wind vanes. | Waters have a ripple. |
2 | Light Breeze | 4-7 | 4-6 | Wind is felt on face, leaves rustle, wind vanes begin to move. | Small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking. |
3 | Gentle Breeze | 8-12 | 7-10 | Leaves and small twigs constantly move, light flags are extended. | Large wavelets, crests begin to break, scattered whitecaps. |
4 | Moderate Breeze | 13-18 | 11-16 | Dust, leaves and loose paper lifted, small tree branches move. | Small waves (1-4 ft) becoming longer with numerous whitecaps. |
5 | Fresh Breeze | 19-24 | 17-21 | Small trees in leaf begin to sway. | Moderate waves (4-8 ft) taking longer form, many whitecaps, some spray. |
6 | Strong Breeze | 25-31 | 22-27 | Larger trees begin moving, whistling in wires. | Larger waves (8-13 ft), whitecaps common, more spray. |
7 | Near Gale | 32-38 | 28-33 | Whole trees moving, resistance felft walking against wind. | Mounting sea (seas heaps) (waves 13-20 ft), foam streaks off of breakers. |
8 | Gale | 39-46 | 34-40 | Whole trees in motion, resistance felt walking in wind. | Moderately high waves (13-20 ft) of greater length, edges of crests begin to break into spindrift, foam blown in streaks. |
9 | Strong Gale | 47-54 | 41-47 | Branches break from trees, slate blows off roofs, slight structural damage. | High waves (20 ft), sea begins to roll, dense streaks of foam, visibility affected by spray. |
10 | Storm | 55-63 | 48-55 | Trees broken or uprooted, considerable structural damage. | Very high waves (20-30 ft) with overhanging crests, sea white with dense blown foam, heavy sea roll, visibility impaired. |
11 | Violent Storm | 64-73 | 56-63 | Widespread damage. | Exceptionally high waves (30-45 ft), foam patches cover the sea, poor visibility. |
12 | Hurricane | 74+ | 64+ | Major damage. | Storm waves (> 45 ft), air filled with foam and spray, sea completely white, visibility bad. |