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 shear

Rate 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.

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No references found	As the flight touched down on the runway there was a sudden wind shear," he said. Weather may have caused Thai plane crash: PM by AFP / AFP Asian Edition Models suggest that high-altitude wind shear over the North Atlantic is stronger than normal during El Nino events, disrupting the formation and strengthening of tropical storms there, Webster notes. Warming in central Pacific Ocean may offer better cyclone predictor: ... by Perkins, Sid / Science News Mar 25, 2009 FedEx, Boeing Regarding the FedEx MD-11 Tokyo Narita crash, the Daily Yomiuri reported that the Narita Aviation Weather Service Center issued a wind shear warning for below 500 m. Travel Safety Update - Asia / Pacific by Airguide Online	Wind Energetics Wind Engine wind erosion wind factor wind farm Wind Festival wind filling wind force wind gage wind gap Wind Gauge wind guard wind instrument wind load wind measurement wind noise wind power wind pressure wind ripple Wind River Wind River Range Wind River Systems Wind Rose wind scoop wind shake wind shear wind shield wind ship wind slab wind sleeve wind sock wind speed wind star wind stop wind stress wind tee wind tide wind triangle Wind Tunnel wind turbine wind uplift wind valley wind vane wind velocity wind wave wind-chill index wind-cut stone wind-cut tree wind-direction indicator wind-direction shaft wind-driven current	Wind River Development Fund Wind River Environmental Quality Commission Wind River Experimental Forest Wind River Mountains Wind River Mountains Wind River Range Wind River Range Wind River Search and Rescue Wind River Shoshone Wind River Systems Wind River Systems Wind River Transportation Authority Wind River Tribal College wind rose wind rose wind roses wind roses wind roses wind roses Wind row Wind row Wind rush Wind sail wind scale wind scoop Wind Scorpion Wind Scorpion Wind Shadow Media Productions wind shake wind shake wind shear Wind Shear Warning System Wind sheer Wind sheer wind shield Wind Shift wind ship Wind shock Wind side Wind signal wind slab wind sleeve wind sleeve wind sock wind sock Wind socks Wind socks wind someone around little finger Wind speed Wind speed Wind speed Wind speed Wind speed Wind Speed, Direction Wind Speed/Direction Indicator wind sprint wind sprints wind star wind stop Wind storm Wind storm

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References in periodicals archive

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No references found

As the flight touched down on the runway there was a sudden wind shear," he said.

Weather may have caused Thai plane crash: PM by AFP / AFP Asian Edition

Models suggest that high-altitude wind shear over the North Atlantic is stronger than normal during El Nino events, disrupting the formation and strengthening of tropical storms there, Webster notes.

Warming in central Pacific Ocean may offer better cyclone predictor: ... by Perkins, Sid / Science News

Mar 25, 2009 FedEx, Boeing Regarding the FedEx MD-11 Tokyo Narita crash, the Daily Yomiuri reported that the Narita Aviation Weather Service Center issued a wind shear warning for below 500 m.

Travel Safety Update - Asia / Pacific by Airguide Online

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wind shear

Wind Shear Warning System
Wind sheer
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Wind shock
Wind side
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Wind socks
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Wind Speed, Direction
Wind Speed/Direction Indicator
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wind stop
Wind storm
Wind storm