gale force
Dangerously powerful gusts
Gale force describes winds strong enough to cause significant damage—typically 32 to 63 miles per hour on the Beaufort scale.
The phrase modifies wind directly gale force winds or stands alone as an adjective: The storm reached gale force overnight.
Figuratively, it intensifies anything powerful or overwhelming: gale force criticism, gale force enthusiasm.
- stormyMarked by violent weather
- high seasWaters beyond jurisdiction
- rough seasTurbulent ocean conditions
- white capsFoam-topped waves
- gustsSudden bursts of air
storm warnings · small craft advisory · powerful · anemometer · squall · wind gauge · wild weather · wind speed · seafaring · shipping forecasts · intense · howling winds · wind shear · pressure gradient · coastal flooding · cyclone · barometric pressure · storm surge
- weatherweather, rain, sun, snow, wind
- windbreeze, wind, gust, gusts, crosswinds
- Wind termscalm, breezy, windy, gusty, blustery
- stormsstorm, thunderstorm, hurricane, tornado, typhoon
- windswind, breeze, gust, gusts, squall
- Disaster ScalesRichter scale, hurricane category, category one, category four, category five