Weather Radar Fundamentals

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Doppler Velocity Measurements » Large-Scale Wind Interpretation » Directionally Sheared Winds » Question 3

What is the wind speed and direction at the edge of the radar range? (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".

The correct answer is b.

Toggle to see an image that depicts what the resulting overall wind flow would look like if we estimated it for all locations.

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 from the radar location to the zero isodop where it intersects the edge of the radar range extend to the north and south. Arrows drawn perpendicularly to the radials and from inbound winds toward outbound ones indicate that the winds are westerly. The maximum and minimum winds at this range are orange and aqua, corresponding to 20 to 25 meters per second.
Wind vectors for a veering wind field on radial velocity diagram.
Please make a selection.