Weather Radar Fundamentals

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Doppler Velocity Measurements » Large-Scale Wind Interpretation » Directionally Sheared Winds » Question 1

Which image best illustrates how to draw the radial and resulting wind direction at the level of the first range ring? (Choose the best answer.)

A plan view of idealized radial velocity. Colors to the left of the radar are blue and green, while colors to the right are red and yellow. A line of gray, indicating velocities of zero, forms an "S" shape and intersects the location of the radar in its center. Red and yellow colors lie to the right of the "S" and blue and green colors lie to the left of the "S". Option A shows a radial extending to the northwest, and an arrow at the end of it pointing directly to the northeast. Option B shows a radial extending to the southeast, and an arrow at the end of it pointing directly to the southwest. Option C shows a radial extending to the northeast, and an arrow at the end of it pointing directly to the southeast. Option D shows a radial extending to the southwest, and an arrow at the end of it pointing directly to the northwest.

The correct answer is a.

A plan view of idealized radial velocity. Colors to the left of the radar are blue and green, while colors to the right are red and yellow. A line of gray, indicating velocities of zero, forms an "S" shape and intersects the location of the radar in its center. Red and yellow colors lie to the right of the "S" and blue and green colors lie to the left of the "S". Radials drawn to the location of the zero isodop extend to the northwest and southeast. Arrows drawn perpendicularly to these radials from the inbound velocities toward the outbound ones indicate that winds are out of the southwest.

Using the same methodology as the previous example, we first draw an arrow from the radar location to the point where the zero isodop intersects the range we are interested in. Then, we draw in an arrow perpendicular to it and pointing from the inbound to the outbound velocities. This is true for the opposite direction as well.

Please make a selection.