Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2023 November 25

= November 25 =

Wind speed in UK
Is wind speed in the United Kingdom (in weather forecasts etc.) measured in miles per hour? I have always thought that it is measured in kilometres per hour. --40bus (talk) 19:00, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
 * The Met Office forecasts give a choice of units, for example shows mph, with drop down options for kph, knots, m/s and Beaufort. See also  – "The normal unit of wind speed is the knot (nautical mile per hour = 0.51 m sec-1 = 1.15 mph)." . . . dave souza, talk 20:21, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
 * @40bus The BBC uses mph and degrees Celsius. See their FAQ Mike Turnbull (talk) 20:43, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
 * The BBC uses Beaufort for the Inshore Waters forecast, the Shipping forecast and the High Seas forecast. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 21:30, 25 November 2023 (UTC)


 * The question was about how wind speed was measured, not forecast. The simple answer is in knots, as explained in the link provided by dave souzaabove - . HiLo48 (talk) 02:31, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
 * I think the question is which unit of measure is used (in weather forecasts etc.) to report wind speed. When forecast, the wind speed has not yet been measured, so how it is measured (using anemometers) is irrelevant. As made clear by the first link provided by dave souza above, there can be a user-made choice. Apparently, as stated by Martin of Sheffield, part of the answer is that at least for some forecasts it is not reported in units at all but only on the Beaufort scale. --Lambiam 09:54, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
 * You're right. I misunderstood the wording of the question. HiLo48 (talk) 22:54, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
 * British TV forecasts are always in statute miles per hour, see Gusts up to 80mph hit parts of UK. Alansplodge (talk) 17:25, 28 November 2023 (UTC)