scale of wind strengths from 0 to 12. Named after the English Admiral, Francis Beaufort, who invented it. 0 = no wind whereas 12 = hurricane.

A unit indicating wind intensity, based on a scale named after Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort. A low Beaufort number indicates little or no wind, and a high number means higher wind. Beaufort numbers are NOT directly tied to given speeds. Boomerangs can be thrown in the 0-5 Beaufort range, but it's not much fun beyond about 3 or 4 (very approximately 15 km/hr). Beaufort number 12 (a hurricane) means trees are uprooted, and your limp, lifeless body flies farther than your boomerang (which does not return to you).

Beaufort is a hard, somewhat sharp cheese made from cow's milk and is similar to gruyère. It is produced in the area around Beaufort located high in the French Alps in the Savoie region of France. It is this high altitude that imparts Beaufort with a unique flavor.