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wind shear |
Also found in: Wikipedia | 0.03 sec. |
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wind shear, a sudden, drastic change in wind direction or speed over a comparatively short distance. Most winds travel horizontally, as does most wind shear, but under certain conditions, including thunderstorms and strong frontal systems, wind shear will travel in a vertical direction. Microburst wind shear is an extremely violent downward blast of air that hits the earth and radiates outward. With its sharp shifts in wind direction and relative wind speed, it can cause an aircraft to lose lift and crash, especially during takeoff or landing, when the slower speeds and closeness to the ground make altitude correction more difficult. Since 1996 all U.S. airliners have been required to be equipped with instruments that provide the pilot with advance warning of wind shear. See also weather weather, state of the atmosphere at a given time and place with regard to temperature, air pressure (see barometer ), wind, humidity, cloudiness, and precipitation. ..... Click the link for more information. and wind wind, flow of air relative to the earth's surface. A wind is named according to the point of the compass from which it blows, e.g., a wind blowing from the north is a north wind. ..... Click the link for more information. . wind shearRate of change of wind velocity with distance perpendicular to the wind direction. A very narrow zone of abrupt velocity change is known as a shear line. Wind shear is observed near the ground and in jet streams, where it may be associated with clear-air turbulence. Vertical wind shear is closely associated with the vertical flux of momentum, heat, and water vapour. wind shear [′win ‚shir] (meteorology) The local variation of the wind vector or any of its components in a given direction. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| Ten hours of sustained hurricane-force wind caused windthrow, windshear, and defoliation. Honeywell's avionics products feature software that anticipates in-flight dangers like windshear, and other air traffic and terrain obstacles to help pilots avoid them. The MultiScan Radar optimizes short- and long-range weather detection at all times without requiring pilot adjustment of the radar tilt control, and alerts flight crews during takeoff and approach of potentially dangerous windshear. |
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