How do I convert wind direction degrees to a compass direction?

Divide by 22.5, round to the nearest whole number and take the result modulo 16; 0 is N, 4 is E, 8 is S and 12 is W. For 8 points divide by 45 instead, and for 32 points divide by 11.25. 254° ÷ 22.5 = 11.3, which rounds to 11 = WSW.

Does 0° and 360° both mean North?

Yes. A bearing of 0° and 360° are identical. In METAR and TAF reports a north wind is written 360, while 000 is used only for calm (00000KT).

Is wind direction where the wind is coming from or going to?

Meteorological wind direction is where the wind comes FROM. A north wind (360°) blows from the north toward the south. Ocean currents and many vector plots use the opposite, direction toward, so add or subtract 180° to switch.

What are the 32 points of the compass?

The 32-point rose adds a "by" point halfway between each 16-point name, every 11.25°: N, N by E (11.25°), NNE (22.5°), NE by N (33.75°), NE (45°), NE by E (56.25°), ENE (67.5°), E by N (78.75°), E (90°) and so on around to N by W (348.75°). Sailors used them for courses; modern weather reports use 16 points.

How do I convert wind speed and direction to u and v components?

With direction θ measured clockwise from north (the direction the wind comes from): u = −speed × sin θ (positive toward east) and v = −speed × cos θ (positive toward north). A 10 m/s wind from 225° (SW) has u = +7.07 and v = +7.07 m/s, because the air moves toward the northeast.

How do I get wind direction from u and v?

Direction = atan2(−u, −v) converted to degrees and wrapped to 0–360, and speed = √(u² + v²). For u = −5 and v = 0 the air moves west, so the wind comes from 90° (east) at 5. Using atan2(u, v) without the minus signs gives the direction the wind blows toward, a common spreadsheet mistake.

What is the math angle of a wind direction?

Plotting libraries measure angles counter-clockwise from the positive x-axis (east) toward which the vector points. Math angle = (270° − meteorological direction) mod 360. A wind from 270° (west) points toward the east, so its math angle is 0°.

Is METAR wind direction true or magnetic?

METAR, TAF and forecast products give wind direction relative to true north. ATIS, tower and runway wind reports given to pilots are magnetic, because runways are numbered by magnetic heading. Subtract an easterly variation (or add a westerly one) to convert true to magnetic.

What degree range is SSW?

SSW (south-southwest) is centered on 202.5° and covers 191.25° to 213.75°. A reading of 213° is therefore still SSW, while 214° rounds to SW, which covers 213.75° to 236.25°.

Wind Direction Converter

Enter 0–360° or a compass name such as WSW or NE by E to get 8-, 16- and 32-point directions, the opposite bearing, wind-from versus wind-toward, and u/v wind components.

Divide the degrees by 22.5 and round to the nearest whole number to get the 16-point compass sector: 0 is N, 1 NNE, 2 NE and so on up to 15 NNW.

Wind Direction Input

Compass Bearing (degrees)

Compass Point (16-point)

Or type any compass name

Enter a bearing or select a compass point to see the result.

Wind Vector (u / v Components)

u is positive toward east, v positive toward north (the convention used by GRIB, ERA5 and GFS). Units follow your speed.

Wind speed (uses the bearing above)

u (east)—

v (north)—

u / v to direction and speed

Direction (from)—

Speed—

Compass Rose

Blue arrow points toward the direction the wind is coming from; the reciprocal is where it blows toward.

16-Point Compass Reference

Each point covers 22.5°. Your current selection is highlighted; click a row to load it.

#	Abbr.	Full Name	Mid (°)	Sector (°)
1	N	North	0°	348.75–11.25°
2	NNE	North-Northeast	22.5°	11.25–33.75°
3	NE	Northeast	45°	33.75–56.25°
4	ENE	East-Northeast	67.5°	56.25–78.75°
5	E	East	90°	78.75–101.25°
6	ESE	East-Southeast	112.5°	101.25–123.75°
7	SE	Southeast	135°	123.75–146.25°
8	SSE	South-Southeast	157.5°	146.25–168.75°
9	S	South	180°	168.75–191.25°
10	SSW	South-Southwest	202.5°	191.25–213.75°
11	SW	Southwest	225°	213.75–236.25°
12	WSW	West-Southwest	247.5°	236.25–258.75°
13	W	West	270°	258.75–281.25°
14	WNW	West-Northwest	292.5°	281.25–303.75°
15	NW	Northwest	315°	303.75–326.25°
16	NNW	North-Northwest	337.5°	326.25–348.75°

32-Point Compass (Mariner's Rose)

Points are 11.25° apart and each covers ±5.625°. "b" means "by": NEbE is northeast by east.

Point	Name	Mid (°)	Range (°)
N	North	0	354.38 – 5.63
NbE	North by East	11.25	5.63 – 16.88
NNE	North-Northeast	22.5	16.88 – 28.13
NEbN	Northeast by North	33.75	28.13 – 39.38
NE	Northeast	45	39.38 – 50.63
NEbE	Northeast by East	56.25	50.63 – 61.88
ENE	East-Northeast	67.5	61.88 – 73.13
EbN	East by North	78.75	73.13 – 84.38
E	East	90	84.38 – 95.63
EbS	East by South	101.25	95.63 – 106.88
ESE	East-Southeast	112.5	106.88 – 118.13
SEbE	Southeast by East	123.75	118.13 – 129.38
SE	Southeast	135	129.38 – 140.63
SEbS	Southeast by South	146.25	140.63 – 151.88
SSE	South-Southeast	157.5	151.88 – 163.13
SbE	South by East	168.75	163.13 – 174.38
S	South	180	174.38 – 185.63
SbW	South by West	191.25	185.63 – 196.88
SSW	South-Southwest	202.5	196.88 – 208.13
SWbS	Southwest by South	213.75	208.13 – 219.38
SW	Southwest	225	219.38 – 230.63
SWbW	Southwest by West	236.25	230.63 – 241.88
WSW	West-Southwest	247.5	241.88 – 253.13
WbS	West by South	258.75	253.13 – 264.38
W	West	270	264.38 – 275.63
WbN	West by North	281.25	275.63 – 286.88
WNW	West-Northwest	292.5	286.88 – 298.13
NWbW	Northwest by West	303.75	298.13 – 309.38
NW	Northwest	315	309.38 – 320.63
NWbN	Northwest by North	326.25	320.63 – 331.88
NNW	North-Northwest	337.5	331.88 – 343.13
NbW	North by West	348.75	343.13 – 354.38

Conventions and formulas

Meteorological direction is the bearing the wind comes from, clockwise from true north (WMO). METAR and TAF wind such as 25012KT means from 250° at 12 kt; 360 is north and 000 only appears in calm 00000KT. ATIS and tower winds are magnetic.

Compass name. index = round(θ ÷ w) mod n, with w = 45°, 22.5° or 11.25° for n = 8, 16 or 32 points. Ties at an exact boundary such as 11.25° round up to the next point.

Vector components. u = −V·sin θ, v = −V·cos θ. Back: θ = atan2(−u, −v) in degrees, wrapped to 0–360; V = √(u² + v²). Direction toward = θ + 180°; math angle (counter-clockwise from east) = 270° − θ. Example: 10 m/s from 225° gives u = +7.07, v = +7.07 and a math angle of 45°.

Quick answer

Divide the degrees by 22.5 and round to the nearest whole number to get the 16-point compass sector: 0 is N, 1 NNE, 2 NE and so on up to 15 NNW. Each point covers 22.5°, from 11.25° below to 11.25° above its center, so a 254° wind blows from the WSW toward the ENE.

Examples

Wind direction	Compass point	Sector range
0° / 360°	N	348.75° – 11.25°
135°	SE	123.75° – 146.25°
213°	SSW	191.25° – 213.75°
254°	WSW	236.25° – 258.75°
300°	WNW	281.25° – 303.75°

Enter any bearing or compass name to see its 8-, 16- and 32-point names, opposite bearing, u/v components and arrow on the compass rose.

Summary

Wind direction is reported either as a bearing in degrees (0–360, measured clockwise from true north, giving the direction the wind blows from) or as a named compass point. This tool converts between the two on the 8-, 16- and 32-point compass roses, accepts typed names such as SW by W, and converts speed plus direction into the u (east) and v (north) vector components used by weather models, and back. Both compass tables are printed on the page.

How it works

Type a bearing in degrees (0–360), pick a 16-point name, or type any compass name such as WSW, NEbE or north by west.
The tool maps the bearing to the nearest 8-point (45° sectors), 16-point (22.5°) and 32-point (11.25°) name: index = round(degrees ÷ sector width).
The result shows the sector range, the reciprocal bearing (where the wind blows toward) and its name.
Enter a wind speed to get u = −speed × sin(direction) and v = −speed × cos(direction), plus the math angle (counter-clockwise from east, toward which the air moves).
Or enter u and v to get the meteorological direction = atan2(−u, −v) and the speed √(u² + v²).

Use cases

Decoding METAR and TAF wind direction for aviation preflight.
Converting GRIB or ERA5 u/v wind components into a direction and speed.
Converting ship headings and old nautical logs that use 32-point names such as NE by E.
Checking weather station wind direction against a chart compass.
Teaching students how to read a compass rose.
Cross-referencing buoy and offshore wind reports with navigation charts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-10-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu