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A gale warning is an alert issued by national weather forecasting agencies around the world in an event that maritime locations currently or imminently experiencing winds of gale force on the Beaufort scale. [1] Gale warnings (and gale watches) allow mariners to take precautionary actions to ensure their safety at sea or to seek safe anchorage ...
A gale is a strong wind; the word is typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as sustained surface wind moving at a speed between 34 and 47 knots (63.0 and 87.0 km/h ; 17.5 and 24.2 m/s ; 39.1 and 54.1 mph ). [ 1 ]
A set of red warning flags (daylight) and red warning lights (night time) is displayed at shore establishments which coincide with the various levels of warning. [citation needed] In Canada, maritime winds forecast to be in the range of 6 to 7 are designated as "strong"; 8 to 9 "gale force"; 10 to 11 "storm force"; 12 "hurricane force".
Mariners advised to avoid hazardous conditions by remaining in port, seeking safe harbor, altering course, or securing vessels for severe conditions.
Advisory-force and gale-force winds will not trigger a separate wind advisory or warning if a Blizzard warning is already in effect. However, as seen with Hurricane Sandy , if widespread high wind warnings are in effect prior to the issuance of a blizzard warning, the high wind warnings may be continued.
Conversely, winds just above this intensity (39–57 miles per hour) are called gale-force, and have a separate associated warning. Occasionally an informal lesser advisory, known as " small craft exercise caution ", is issued for wind speeds lighter than those that call for a small craft advisory.
A gale watch is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when there is an increased risk for a gale-force wind event, meaning sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts, of 34 to 47 knots (39 to 54 mph; 63 to 87 km/h), but the occurrence, location, and/or timing of the event is still uncertain.
A tornado warning is more severe than a tornado watch, indicating that people take action and seek shelter. A watch signals that a tornado could occur, while a warning signals once a tornado has ...