Marine Glossary

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breeze

1. Wind of force 2 to 6 (4-31 miles per hour or 4-27 knots) on the Beaufort wind scale. Wind of force 2 (4-7 miles per hour or 4-6 knots) is classified as a light breeze; wind of force 3 (8-12 miles per hour or 7-10 knots), a gentle breeze; wind of force 4 (13-18 miles per hour or 11-16 knots), a moderate breeze; wind of force 5 (19-24 miles per hour or 17-21 knots), a fresh breeze; and wind of force 6 (25-31 miles per hour or 22-27 knots), a strong breeze. See also light air.

2. Any light wind. A land breeze blows from the land to the sea, and usually alternates with a sea breeze blowing in the opposite direction. A mountain breeze blows down a mountain slope due to gravity flow of cool air, and a valley breeze blows up a valley or mountain slope because of warming of the mountainside and valley flour by the sun. A puff or wind, or a light breeze affecting a small area, may be called a cat's paw. Absence of wind is sometimes called ash breeze.