gale

A term used as a synonym for tempest, although its most appropriate use is to refer to a situation of persistent rain, snowfall, and/or wind, lasting several days. This name is also given to force-8 wind on the Beaufort scale, with speeds between 34 and 40 knots (between 62 and 74 km/h), which causes large breaking waves that produce foam. The following grades on that scale likewise refer to the term: force 9 (strong gale), force 10 (storm), force 11 (violent storm), and force 12 (hurricane-force).