<p>The scale refers to the significant wave height H1/3, which is defined as the mean height of the higher third of all waves occurring in a sea area at a given time.</p>
<p>Further reading (but in german):
<a href="https://www.dwd.de/DE/service/lexikon/begriffe/S/Signifikante_Wellenhoehe.html?view=renderHelp&amp;nn=17570" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.dwd.de/DE/service/lexikon/begriffe/S/Signifikante_Wellenhoehe.html?view=renderHelp&amp;nn=17570</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8uV3I.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8uV3I.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Fig. <a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/208117763/Beaufort-Scale-of-Wind-Force-and-Its-Probable-Wave-Height" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Source</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-03-14T14:35:25.697Z
2024-03-14T14:35:25.697Z
Weiss
<p>Beaufort scale relates wind speed and wave height of the ocean surface. Does the wave height in the scale refer to significant wave height or mean wave height?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-31T23:40:47.260Z
@JeopardyTempest i removed my comment,it was just me thinkig out loud.
trond hansen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-01T17:59:43.593Z
It refers to significant wave heights in fully developed seas (away from shore). Significant wave heights are closely related to what the human eye can estimate for wave heights and that is what the Beaufort scale was originally focus on.
arkaia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-02T23:03:55.687Z
@trondhansen no stress, I do the same :)
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-21T05:07:51.443Z
Thank you all for your valuable answers. For fully developed sea we have to take significant wave height for sea state estimation right.
M.Shanmuga sundari
<oceanography><wind><waves>
Beaufort wind force measure
M.Shanmuga sundari
# Beaufort wind force measure

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-12-30)

Beaufort scale relates wind speed and wave height of the ocean surface. Does the wave height in the scale refer to significant wave height or mean wave height?

**Tags:** oceanography, wind, waves

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @username_3 i removed my comment,it was just me thinkig out loud.  
> **username_2**: It refers to significant wave heights in fully developed seas (away from shore). Significant wave heights are closely related to what the human eye can estimate for wave heights and that is what the Beaufort scale was originally focus on.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 no stress, I do the same :)  
> **username_0**: Thank you all for your valuable answers. For fully developed sea we have to take significant wave height for sea state estimation right.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-03-14. Score: 2

The scale refers to the significant wave height H1/3, which is defined as the mean height of the higher third of all waves occurring in a sea area at a given time.

Further reading (but in german):
<https://www.dwd.de/DE/service/lexikon/begriffe/S/Signifikante_Wellenhoehe.html?view=renderHelp&nn=17570>

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8uV3I.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8uV3I.png)

Fig. [Source](https://www.scribd.com/doc/208117763/Beaufort-Scale-of-Wind-Force-and-Its-Probable-Wave-Height)


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