The Beaufort Scale
If we arrange Scots winds according to the Beaufort Scale (a system devised by Admiral Francis Beaufort and still used in a slightly modified form by the Royal Navy) we may get some idea of the best word to use for any particular wind. However, the way the words are used by Scots speakers may cover a range of meanings and bear in mind the Scots propensity for understatement – a bit o a blaw might well mean a force 12! A description of each wind is given in Scots and English.
Force 0 lown
Lown. Reek gangs stracht up. [Calm. Smoke rises vertically.]
Force 1 pirl, fairies’ ween
Licht air. Wind motion visible in reek. [Light air. Wind motion visible in smoke.]
Force 2 pirl, pirr
Licht breeze. Leaves reesle. [Light breeze. Leaves rustle.]
Force 3 pirr, haar
Douce breeze. Leaves an twigs aye steerin. [Gentle breeze. Leaves and smaller twigs in constant motion.]
Force 4 a bit o a sough
Canny breeze. Stour raised. Sma branches stert tae muive. [Moderate breeze. Dust raised. Small branches begin to move.]
Force 5 a richt souch
Steerie breeze. Sma trees swey. [Fresh breeze Small trees sway.]
Force 6 blaa, blaw, an affae souch
Strang breeze. Muckle branches steerin. Dirlin in owerheid wires. [Strong breeze. Large branches in motion. Whistling in overhead wires.]
Force 7 blaffert
Near gale. Hale trees steerin. Effort needit tae warsle agin the blafferts. [Near gale. Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind.]
Force 8 blouster
Gale. Twigs cawed aff trees. [Gale. Twigs broken from trees.]
Force 9 muckle blouster, blenter, blinter
Severe Gale. Lums an sklaits taen aff. [Severe gale. Chimneys and slates taken off.]
Force 10 byornar blenter, blinter
Storm. Trees blawn doon. A hantle o skaith tae biggins. [Storm. Trees uprooted. Considerable structural damage.]
Force 11 gandaguster, gandiegow, (The Muckle Forester)
Severe storm. Unco heich jaws. Muckle skaith tae biggins. [Unusually high waves. Widespread structural damage.]
Force 12 hurricane, hairiken, heerican
Hurricane. Big, muckle jaws. Air fair fu o faem an spindrift. [Hurricane. Huge waves. Air filled with foam and spray.]