Beaufort Wind Scale

I have been focusing on creating animated pieces that react to live wind data gathered from NOAA RSS Feeds. In order to show a progressive change in the animation that reflects different forces of wind I have decided to use the Beaufort Wind Scale.

This scale gives me twelve different stages of wind force and a description of the effects of that wind upon the environment that I can then incorporate into short animated image sequences.


Beaufort Wind Scale

For those interested in a bit of nautical history the Beaufort Wind Scale was created in 1805 by Sir Francis Beaufort in an attempt to standardize the wind and weather data recieved from mariners. Otherwise mariners were left with the subjective weather observations of individuals, thus making it hard to get a clear depiction of the possible conditions of the sea.

Wind Horse

Along with my research and exploration of nautical wind data and oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico I have been working on animations that include horse imagery.

Is this a completely unrelated theme? I do not think so. The horse after all is another form of transport. To ride one full speed through an open field is to experience the feeling of wind. There is a connection.

To solidify this connection I came across the term "wind horse" used in Tibetan buddhism. In this context the "wind horse" refers to a type of tibetan prayer flag. These flags are hung outdoors to flutter in the wind. The intention is that the prayer will be carried by the wind horse into the heavens.

When I think of wind I think of its universal quality, unconfined nature and it's ability to cross all borders. The idea of a prayer being sent into the wind is, at the very least, affecting my thoughts.