Skip Navigation Linkswww.weather.gov 
Go to NOAA's main page Go to the NWS main page National Weather Service Forecast Office

New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA

Local weather forecast by
"City, St" or zip code
  


FirstGov.gov is the U.S. Government's official Web portal to all Federal, state and local government Web resources and services.
  To NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge Homepage

Hail Diameter Size and Wind Descriptors

Hail Diameter Size Description

1/4"

Pea Size

1/2"

Marble Size

3/4" (Severe Criteria)

Penny Size

7/8"

Nickel Size

1"

Quarter Size

1 1/4"

Half Dollar Size

1 1/2"

Walnut/Ping Pong Ball Size

1 3/4"

Golf Ball Size

2"

Hen Egg Size

2 1/2"

Tennis Ball Size

2 3/4"

Baseball Size

3"

Teacup Size

4"

Grapefruit Size

4 1/2"

Softball Size


Wind Speed Estimation Description

less than 1 mph

Calm; smoke rises vertically

1 - 3 mph

Direction of wind shown by smoke drift,
but not by wind vanes

4 - 7 mph

Wind felt on face; leaves rustle;
ordinary vane moved by wind

8 - 12 mph

Leaves and small twigs in constant motion;
wind extends light flag

13 - 18 mph

Raises dust and loose paper;
small branches are moved

19 - 24 mph

Small trees in leaf begin to sway;
crested wavelets form on inland waters

25 - 31 mph

Large branches in motion;
whistling heard in telephone wires

32 - 38 mph

Whole trees in motion;
inconvenience felt walking against the wind

39 - 46 mph

Breaks twigs off trees;
wind generally impedes progress

47 - 54 mph

Slight structural damage
occurs

Severe begins at 58 mph


55 - 63 mph

Damage to chimneys and TV antennas;
pushes over shallow rooted trees

64 - 74 mph

Rarely experienced;
structural damage becomes possible

above 75 mph

Very rarely experienced; see
Fujita scale descriptions

Wind speed estimation taken from the Beaufort Scale.


Weather Hazards | Weather Forecasts | Present Weather
Past Weather | Tropical Weather | Contact Us


National Weather Service
New Orleans/Baton Rouge Forecast Office
62300 Airport Rd.
Slidell, LA 70460-5243
Telephone 8AM-4PM
504.522.7330    985.649.0357


Date modified: September 7, 2008
Disclaimer
Credits
Glossary
Comments/Feedback
Privacy Policy
About Us
Career Opportunities