Gale facts for kids
A gale is a very strong wind. It is stronger than a breeze but not as strong as a hurricane. Gales can make the sea very rough. They can also cause damage on land.
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What is a Gale?
A gale is a powerful wind. It is strong enough to be noticed by everyone. Sailors and weather experts use special ways to measure wind strength. This helps them know when a gale is coming. Knowing about gales is important for safety.
How We Measure Gales
One main way to measure wind is the Beaufort scale. This scale helps us describe how strong the wind is. It uses numbers from 0 to 12. Each number shows different wind conditions. The Beaufort scale is based on what people observe. For example, it looks at how the wind affects trees or waves.
The word "gale" first appears at level 7 on the Beaufort scale. This means a wind at level 7 is called a gale. The scale goes up to 13 steps in total. So, a gale is a strong wind, but not the strongest possible.
Different Definitions of a Gale
Different groups have their own ways to define a gale. The U.S. Government's National Weather Service has a clear definition. They say a gale is a wind blowing between 34 and 47 knots. This is about 63 to 87 kilometers per hour (or 39 to 54 miles per hour). These are winds that blow steadily.
Forecasters often give gale warnings. They do this when they expect winds of this strength. These warnings help people prepare. Other groups might use slightly different speeds. Some say a gale can start at 28 knots. Others might say it goes up to 55 knots. A definition of 90 knots is very rare.
Related Topics
Images for kids
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After a Gale – Wreckers by James Hamilton
See Also
In Spanish: Temporal (meteorología) para niños
