Glossary Aviation Weather

Wind Shear

Definition

A sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, hazardous during takeoff and landing

An aborted landing where the aircraft applies full power and climbs away from the runway

A convective weather system producing lightning, turbulence, hail, and heavy precipitation

Irregular atmospheric motion causing sudden changes in an aircraft's altitude or attitude

…immediate and catastrophic loss of airspeed on approach. Wind shear — a sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short…

…masses of dramatically different speeds interact through wind shear. The turbulent zone may be only a few hundred meters deep…

…and supplementary information including recent weather, wind shear, and runway conditions. METARs are issued on a 30-minute…

What is Wind Shear?

A sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, hazardous during takeoff and landing

How does Wind Shear relate to other aviation concepts?

Wind Shear is closely related to Go-Around and Thunderstorm (Cumulonimbus), among other key aviation concepts.