weather gauge

The Esmeraldo Weather Center in Camagüey registered winds of more than 124 miles per hour before part of the weather gauge blew off.

From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2017

So the Dutch, having the weather gauge, sailed down to engage us.

From When London Burned : a Story of Restoration Times and the Great Fire by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

Each is scheming to obtain or retain the liberty of manoeuvre, in the same way as, in the days of sailing ships, a naval commander strove to get the "weather gauge" in every encounter.

From Lectures on Land Warfare; A tactical Manual for the Use of Infantry Officers An Examination of the Principles Which Underlie the Art of Warfare, with Illustrations of the Principles by Examples Taken from Military History, from the Battle of Thermopylae, B.C. 480, to the Battle of the Sambre, November 1-11, 1918 by Anonymous

"Does he, indeed?" replied the captain, laughing; for, having the "weather gauge" of the rascal, he was disposed to treat the matter very lightly.

From Across India Or, Live Boys in the Far East by Oliver Optic

Seeing that he had to deal with a formidable opponent, Guichen acted with extreme caution, and by keeping the weather gauge afforded the British admiral no chance of bringing him to close action.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various