Knots to Kilometers per Hour Converter (kn to km/h)
1 kn = 1.852 km/h exactly. Convert knots to km/h for typhoon bulletins, marine and aviation wind reports and boat speeds, with kn and km/h charts.
Kilometer per Hour (km/h) = Knot (kn) × 1.852
Knot (kn): A knot is one nautical mile per hour. The international nautical mile is exactly 1852 m, so 1 knot is 1.852 km/h (about 0.5144 m/s); it is the standard speed unit at sea, in aviation and in marine weather.
Kilometer per Hour (km/h): The kilometre per hour is the speed unit on road signs and speedometers in most of the world. Because 1 km is 1000 m and 1 hour is 3600 s, 1 km/h is exactly 5/18 m/s (about 0.2778 m/s).
| Knot (kn) | Kilometer per Hour (km/h) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.852 |
| 5 | 9.26 |
| 10 | 18.52 |
| 25 | 46.3 |
| 50 | 92.6 |
| 100 | 185.2 |
A knot is one nautical mile per hour, and since the international nautical mile was fixed at exactly 1,852 m, one knot is exactly 1.852 km/h. Marine forecasts, aviation weather reports and international tropical cyclone advisories, such as those the Japan Meteorological Agency issues for the western Pacific, give wind in knots, while TV forecasts and weather apps in most countries show km/h.
Sailors, windsurfers and pilots convert in both directions: a 25 kn forecast, about 46 km/h, falls in force 6 on the Beaufort scale, a strong breeze. Sustained winds are averaged over different periods, one minute in the United States and ten minutes in Japan and most other countries, so compare like with like before converting.
How to use this tool
- Type a value in the Knot box to see it in kilometers per hour, or type in the Kilometer per Hour box to convert the other way.
- Press ⇄ to swap the two units, or Load example for a typical value.
- Check the charts below for common values; for other units, open the Speed converter.
Formula
Kilometer per Hour (km/h) = Knot (kn) × 1.852
Knot (kn) = Kilometer per Hour (km/h) × 0.539956803456
Both factors come from exact definitions: 1 kilometer per hour = 0.539956803456 knots and 1 knot = 1.852 kilometers per hour (shown to 12 significant digits).
Example
Two conversions worked with the same factors the converter uses:
25 kn × 1.852 = 46.3 km/h
185 km/h × 0.539956803456 ≈ 99.892 kn
Knot to Kilometer per Hour chart
Common values from knots to kilometers per hour, rounded to four decimal places.
| Knot (kn) | Kilometer per Hour (km/h) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.852 |
| 3 | 5.556 |
| 5 | 9.26 |
| 8 | 14.816 |
| 10 | 18.52 |
| 11 | 20.372 |
| 15 | 27.78 |
| 17 | 31.484 |
| 20 | 37.04 |
| 22 | 40.744 |
| 25 | 46.3 |
| 28 | 51.856 |
| 30 | 55.56 |
| 34 | 62.968 |
| 40 | 74.08 |
| 48 | 88.896 |
| 50 | 92.6 |
| 56 | 103.712 |
| 64 | 118.528 |
| 80 | 148.16 |
| 100 | 185.2 |
| 120 | 222.24 |
| 150 | 277.8 |
| 200 | 370.4 |
Kilometer per Hour to Knot chart
The reverse direction for values people often look up.
| Kilometer per Hour (km/h) | Knot (kn) |
|---|---|
| 10 | 5.3996 |
| 20 | 10.7991 |
| 30 | 16.1987 |
| 40 | 21.5983 |
| 50 | 26.9978 |
| 62 | 33.4773 |
| 89 | 48.0562 |
| 100 | 53.9957 |
| 118 | 63.7149 |
| 150 | 80.9935 |
| 185 | 99.892 |
| 250 | 134.9892 |
| 300 | 161.987 |
Wind classes defined in knots
| Class | Knot (kn) | Kilometer per Hour (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate breeze, Beaufort force 4, from | 11 | 20.372 |
| Strong breeze, Beaufort force 6, from | 22 | 40.744 |
| Gale, Beaufort force 8, from | 34 | 62.968 |
| Severe tropical storm, JMA international class, from | 48 | 88.896 |
| Typhoon, JMA international class, from | 64 | 118.528 |
| Hurricane Category 4, from | 113 | 209.276 |
Quick mental estimate
Double the knots and take off 7% of the result: 30 kn → 60 − 4.2 = 55.8 km/h, against an exact 55.56 km/h. The method uses 1.86 in place of 1.852, about 0.4% high.
Use the converter or the charts when the exact figure matters.
The two units
Knot (kn): A knot is one nautical mile per hour. The international nautical mile is exactly 1852 m, so 1 knot is 1.852 km/h (about 0.5144 m/s); it is the standard speed unit at sea, in aviation and in marine weather.
Kilometer per Hour (km/h): The kilometre per hour is the speed unit on road signs and speedometers in most of the world. Because 1 km is 1000 m and 1 hour is 3600 s, 1 km/h is exactly 5/18 m/s (about 0.2778 m/s).
Frequently asked questions
What is a typhoon's wind speed in km/h?
In its international classification, the Japan Meteorological Agency keeps the class Typhoon for 10-minute sustained winds of 64 kn or more, which is about 118.5 km/h. The Hong Kong Observatory starts its typhoon class at 118 km/h.
Why are aviation winds given in knots?
Aviation adopted nautical miles for navigation, and knots follow from them. METAR weather reports in most countries give wind as direction and speed in knots, so 27015KT means wind from 270 degrees at 15 kn, about 28 km/h.
Is a knot the same as a nautical mile?
No. A nautical mile is a distance of 1,852 m and a knot is a speed of one nautical mile per hour. A ship making 20 kn covers 20 nautical miles, or 37.04 km, in an hour.
How precise is the result?
The converter uses the exact definitions above with browser floating-point arithmetic and shows up to 12 significant digits. The charts round to four decimal places for reading.
Sources
Last updated:
Page address with these inputs: https://kakao.mobile/tools/knots-to-kilometers-per-hour-converter/
Cite or embed this tool
kakaoCalc. (2026, November 8). Knots to Kilometers per Hour Converter (kn to km/h). https://kakao.mobile/tools/knots-to-kilometers-per-hour-converter/
“Knots to Kilometers per Hour Converter (kn to km/h).” kakaoCalc, 8 Nov. 2026, kakao.mobile/tools/knots-to-kilometers-per-hour-converter/.
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