| Gale |
|
Winds of at least Beaufort force 8 (34-40
knots) or gusts reaching 43-51 knots |
| Severe gale |
|
Winds of force 9 (41-47 knots) or gusts reaching 52-60 knots |
| Storm |
|
Winds of force 10 (48-55 knots) or gusts reaching 61-68 knots |
| Violent storm |
|
Winds of force 11 (56-63 knots) or gusts of 69 knots or more |
| Hurricane force |
|
Winds of force 12 (64 knots or more) |
| Imminent |
|
Expected within six hours of time of issue |
| Soon |
|
Expected within six to 12 hours of time of issue |
| Later |
|
Expected more than 12 hours from time of issue |
| Fog |
|
Visibility less than 1,000 metres |
| Poor |
|
Visibility between 1,000 metres and 2 nautical miles |
| Moderate |
|
Visibility between 2 and 5 nautical miles |
| Good |
|
Visibility more than 5 nautical miles |
| Slowly |
|
Moving at less than 15 knots |
| Steadily |
|
Moving at 15 to 25 knots |
| Rather quickly |
|
Moving at 25 to 35 knots |
| Rapidly |
|
Moving at 35 to 45 knots |
| Very rapidly |
|
Moving at more than 45 knots |
| Rising (or falling) slowly |
|
Pressure change of 0.1 to 1.5 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) |
|
Pressure change of 1.6 to 3.5 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) quickly |
|
Pressure change of 3.6 to 6.0 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) v. rapidly |
|
Pressure change of more than 6.0 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Now rising (or falling) |
|
Pressure has been falling (rising) or steady in the preceding three hours, but at the time of observation was definitely rising (falling) |
| Wind direction |
|
Indicates the direction from which the wind is blowing |
| Becoming cyclonic |
|
Indicates that there will be considerable change in wind direction across the path of a depression within the forecast area |
| Veering |
|
The changing of the wind direction clockwise, e.g. SW to W |
| Backing |
|
The changing of the wind in the opposite direction to veering (anticlockwise), e.g. SE to NE |