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Wind direction is represented by eight equally spaced compass points (octals). A wind direction forecast is considered "correct" if it is within + or - one octal of the reported value. If the wind direction at a station is from the north, then the wind directions that are + or - one octal from the north would be the directions of northwest and northeast. Therefore, if one predicted the wind direction to be from the northeast, but it was actually observed to be from the north, credit would still be given for the northeast answer since it is only one octal away from the observed direction of north. If one had predicted the wind to be from the east, credit would not be given since east is two octals away from north. To see how wind directions are reported on a station plot on a weather map, click on "Directions" below.

Wind Directions Directions                                        

Example of a Compass Rose Compass