A knot is one nautical mile per hour. One nautical mile equals 1,852 meters (or about 1.15078 statute miles), so 1 knot ≈ 1.15078 MPH or 1.852 km/h. The unit is the international standard for maritime and aviation speeds.

How do I convert knots to MPH?

Multiply the speed in knots by 1.15078. For example, 20 knots × 1.15078 = 23.0 MPH. This converter does the calculation instantly for any value you enter.

What is the Beaufort scale?

The Beaufort scale (officially the Beaufort wind force scale) runs from Force 0 (calm, under 1 knot) to Force 12 (hurricane, 64 knots or above). Each force band has a name, a wind speed range in knots, and a description of sea conditions. It was devised by Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805.

What Beaufort force is 30 knots?

30 knots falls in Beaufort Force 7 (Near Gale), which corresponds to 28–33 knots or 32–38 MPH. Sea conditions include moderately high waves and streaks of foam blown along the surface.

Can I convert MPH back to knots?

Yes. Divide the speed in MPH by 1.15078, or use the reverse input field in this tool. For km/h, divide by 1.852 to get knots.

Are knots used in aviation too?

Yes. Knots are the standard unit for airspeed and wind speed in aviation worldwide, while navigation distances use nautical miles and altitude is measured in feet.

Knots to MPH Converter

Enter a speed in knots to instantly see the equivalent in MPH, km/h, m/s, ft/s, and the Beaufort wind scale classification.

Enter Speed

Knots (kn)

Reverse Convert

Miles per hour (MPH)

Kilometers per hour (km/h)

Conversion Results

Enter a speed on the left to see results.

Beaufort Wind Scale

Force	Name	Knots (whole)	MPH	Sea State

Summary

This tool converts a speed entered in nautical knots to four common units: miles per hour (MPH), kilometers per hour (km/h), meters per second (m/s), and feet per second (ft/s). It also maps the speed to the Beaufort wind force scale, which is the international standard used by mariners and meteorologists to describe wind intensity from calm (Force 0) to hurricane (Force 12).

How it works

Enter any speed value in the knots input field.
The converter applies exact conversion factors: 1 knot = 1.15078 MPH, 1.852 km/h, 0.514444 m/s, and 1.68781 ft/s.
The converted values update instantly as you type.
The Beaufort force band for the entered speed is highlighted automatically.
Use the reverse fields to convert from MPH or km/h back to knots.

Use cases

Translate wind speed from a marine forecast (knots) into familiar MPH or km/h.
Check what Beaufort force a given vessel speed or wind speed corresponds to.
Convert boat speed logs from knots to km/h for European route planning.
Prepare for offshore passages by understanding wind intensity categories.
Cross-check aviation airspeed (knots) against road-speed equivalents.
Teach students the Beaufort scale with live interactive examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu