Win the ‘Wind Speed’ with Beaufort’s Wind Scale
Why does wind speed play a critical role in shaping pedestrians’ perception of wind comfort?
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Figure 01: Yellow wind sock on a wooden post (Photo by Dlanor S. on Unsplash) |
For cities, it is vital that pedestrians feel both thermally comfortable and safe while walking. The mechanical effects of wind on pedestrians are typically assessed using the Beaufort Wind Scale, an internationally recognized standard (see Table 1 below). Wind speeds measured at 10 m above ground level are approximately reduced to 75% at pedestrian head height (1.5 m), as noted by Bennett (2007) and Stathopoulos (2009).
