Beaufort 7!

In 1805, British Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort developed an empirical measurement scale for the effects of wind over water and on land known as the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.  I was guilty of exaggeration when I stated that we were experiencing "near hurricane" force winds.  In reality, we've been experiencing near gale force winds, or Beaufort 7, gusting to 8.  The winds stayed throughout the night and all day today.  Cheyenne Mountain State Park is nestled along the rising mountain side of Cheyenne Mountain, overlooking Colorado Springs in a transition zone between high grasslands and montane forest with ponderosa pines and granite slopes.  The wind is buffeting all, although we were able to hike (Blackmer Loop - 3.52 miles) and stayed somewhat protected from the winds in the creases along the mountainside and tucked under the ponderosa pines.  We definitely hoping for less wind in the days ahead.

See www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/beaufort.html for more information on the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.