Wind Shear Detection
Document Title: Windshear conditions over Stapleton Airport, Photo by Wendy Schreiber, UCAR
The ARC team has decades of experience with radar site selection for airport windshear detection. Radar sites for airport wind shear require special consideration since the meteorological phenomena to be detected are generally rapidly generated, of short duration and are shallow atmospheric events that sometimes descend from directly above the runway complex.
Early detection of wind shear is critical to mitigating the effects of these damaging winds. High resolution ARC radars are utilized to provide this early detection of wind shear at airports around the planet. Fully programmable scanning strategies provide users the ability to customize the radar for their specific needs. The data collected by ARC radars is processed and displayed by the NCAR-developed TITAN/CIDD radar product generation and display software which is in use in operational and research settings around the globe. Products specifically geared towards early detection of wind shear and warning of potential impacts is incorporated into TITAN/CIDD.
For the best detection of wind shear, ARC would recommend a radar with a narrow beamwidth to enhance the resolution of wind measurements. The experienced ARC staff and extensive training programs offered provide the skill to maximize these resources for a user specific need.