Flimsy patio umbrellas are naturally going to break more easily than heavyweight umbrellas. That said, all patio umbrellas have their breaking point. A safe bet is to take in your umbrella if winds exceed 20 miles per hour. While some exceptional patio umbrellas can withstand winds up to 40 or 45 miles per hour, I wouldn’t count on this, even for sturdy umbrellas. Chances are, if you leave your patio umbrella out, you may end up with a broken umbrella.