Convert Knots to Meters per Second
Knots to meters per second is the conversion you need when a nautical or aviation speed has to line up with the metric units used in science, engineering, or most weather data outside the US. One knot is about 0.514444 meters per second, so the number gets smaller when you switch from knots to m/s.
Knots to Meters per second conversion table
| Knots (kn) | Meters per second (m/s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.514444 |
| 2 | 1.028889 |
| 3 | 1.543333 |
| 5 | 2.572222 |
| 10 | 5.144444 |
| 20 | 10.288889 |
| 50 | 25.722222 |
| 100 | 51.444444 |
| 500 | 257.222222 |
| 1,000 | 514.444444 |
The formula
To convert knots to meters per second, multiply the speed in knots by 0.514444:
m/s = knots × 0.514444
A worked example
Say a coastal forecast reports a 20-knot wind and you want that in meters per second:
20 × 0.514444 = 10.29 m/s
That's a strong, steady breeze — the kind that raises whitecaps on open water and makes small boats reef their sails.
Why it's an approximation
A nautical mile is exactly 1.852 kilometers, but a knot measures that distance per hour, and converting to a per-second metric unit means dividing 1852 meters by 3600 seconds. That division doesn't resolve to a short, exact decimal, so 0.514444 is the standard rounded factor — precise enough for any practical purpose, but not a perfectly exact ratio.
When you'll use it
Comparing international weather data, working with scientific wind-speed measurements, converting marine or aviation instrument readings for research, and reading forecasts that mix knots and metric units.
Frequently asked questions
How many meters per second are in a knot?
About 0.514444 m/s. A knot is a little over half a meter per second, so the number roughly halves when you convert.
Is the knots to m/s conversion exact?
No — it's an approximation. The nautical mile and the meter are both exactly defined, but converting knots (nautical miles per hour) into meters per second involves dividing by 3600 seconds, which produces a long repeating decimal that gets rounded to 0.514444.
Why do meteorologists use knots for some reports and m/s for others?
Aviation and marine forecasts traditionally use knots because they match nautical charts, while scientific and international weather data usually uses meters per second, the standard metric unit for speed. Converting between them is common when comparing sources.