Most people decide whether to carry an umbrella from the rain forecast. The wind number matters just as much, and it is the one people skip. A light shower with a gust of 35 mph can wreck an umbrella faster than a steady downpour, and a forecast already contains the number you need.
This page turns the National Weather Service’s Beaufort scale into a simple chart for umbrella users. The wind speeds and the land descriptions in the first three columns come from the NWS. The right-hand column, “What we would do”, is our own suggestion, not a tested rating, and it assumes an ordinary compact umbrella.
The chart
| Beaufort force | Wind speed (mph) | In km/h | NWS description on land | What we would do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3, gentle breeze | 8 to 12 | 13 to 19 | Leaves and small twigs in constant motion; wind extends light flag | Carry and use it normally |
| 4, moderate breeze | 13 to 18 | 21 to 29 | Raises dust and loose paper; small branches are moved | Fine; tilt into the wind, grip firmly |
| 5, fresh breeze | 19 to 24 | 31 to 39 | Small trees in leaf begin to sway | Use with care; a flexible frame helps |
| 6, strong breeze | 25 to 31 | 40 to 50 | Large branches in motion; umbrellas used with difficulty | Expect a fight; keep it for short walks or leave it closed |
| 7, near gale | 32 to 38 | 51 to 61 | Whole trees in motion; inconvenience felt when walking against the wind | Closed; use a hooded jacket |
| 8, gale | 39 to 46 | 63 to 74 | Breaks twigs off trees; generally impedes progress | Closed; stay in if you can |
| 9, severe gale | 47 to 54 | 76 to 87 | Slight structural damage occurs | Not a day for an umbrella at all |
The kilometre figures are the mph ranges multiplied by 1.609 and rounded. Force 6 is the row to remember: it is the only one in the NWS wording that names umbrellas, and it starts at 25 mph.
How to read your forecast with it
- Find the gust, not the average. Many forecasts show a sustained speed and a higher gust. Use the gust.
- Place it on the chart. If the gust lands in force 6 or above, plan on leaving the umbrella closed.
- Add a row for city streets. Corners and gaps between buildings can speed wind up, so a row 5 forecast can feel like row 6 at a junction. This is our own rule of thumb, not an NWS figure.
- Check the direction. A headwind is harder to hold against than a side wind. If you cannot change your route, tilt the umbrella into the wind.
- Decide before you leave. It is easier to put a hooded jacket on at home than to hold a failing umbrella at a crossing.
What helps at each level
At force 3 and 4, almost any umbrella is fine. At force 5, frame quality starts to matter, and a flexible, vented canopy can spill a gust instead of resisting it. Our windproof umbrella checklist shows how to score a frame, and Calm Eden’s windproof umbrella guide explains why no standard defines the word. At force 6 and above, the frame is no longer the main variable. Wind is.
If you get caught out, close the umbrella, lower yourself out of the wind if you can and wait for the gust to pass. If the canopy flips, do not pull it back with your arm fully extended. Fold the ribs back the way they came and then re-open. Calm Eden’s guide to opening and closing an umbrella covers the mechanics, and our repair or replace sheet helps if a rib did bend.
Lightning is a separate rule
An umbrella does not protect you from lightning, and wind speed does not tell you whether storms are near. If thunder is audible, go indoors. Calm Eden’s do umbrellas attract lightning sets out what the weather service says.
Where an umbrella from Calm Eden fits
If your forecasts often land in force 4 to 5, a flexible frame is the feature worth paying for. Calm Eden’s Haven Umbrella has a frame of 30 carbon fibre ribs, which the seller describes as storm-proof, and it folds to 40 cm (15.75 in), weighs about 390 g and opens and closes with one press. It opens to about 105 cm, so it covers one person. XZVZX and Calm Eden share an owner, and these details come from the seller’s listing rather than our own test, so no umbrella here is a substitute for the force 6 rule. Calm Eden’s guide for wind and rain compares what survives gusts.
Reading tomorrow’s forecast
- Read the gust speed and find it on the chart.
- Force 5 and below: carry it. Force 6: expect trouble. Force 7 and above: leave it closed.
- Test a new umbrella in the first week with our ten-minute checklist.
The wind speeds and land descriptions are from the National Weather Service’s Beaufort scale page. The suggestions in the right-hand column and the city-street rule are our own, not tested limits.
Common questions
At what wind speed does an umbrella become hard to use?
The National Weather Service's Beaufort scale for use on land describes force 6, a strong breeze of 25 to 31 mph, with the phrase umbrellas used with difficulty. That is the only row in the scale that mentions umbrellas by name. Many people start to struggle earlier in gusty conditions.
Should I use the wind speed or the gust speed?
Use the gust. A forecast that says 15 mph with gusts to 30 mph describes a day when the umbrella will be hit by the 30 mph number. Our suggestion is to read the gust against the chart, not the average.
Does a windproof umbrella change the chart?
It can move your comfortable limit up a row or two, because a flexible, vented frame spills gusts. It does not change the chart for strong gale conditions, and there is no standard test behind the word windproof, so treat the claim as the seller's.
What is the safest thing to do when the wind is too strong?
Close it, shelter in a doorway or building if you can and wait for the gust to pass, or use a hooded waterproof jacket instead. If the canopy flips, do not wrestle it back with your arm stretched out; fold it the way it came, because forcing it is how ribs bend and snap.
Is a forecast wind speed measured at street level?
Usually not. Wind speeds in a forecast describe open conditions, and streets, corners and the gaps between tall buildings can funnel and speed up wind. Treat the chart as the starting point and trust what you feel at the corner.