windshear
Sudden altitude threat
Windshear is a sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, especially dangerous to aircraft during takeoff and landing.
A plane encountering windshear may abruptly lose lift or airspeed.
Microbursts—columns of rapidly descending air—are a common cause.
Also spelled as two words: wind shear.
Brief wind surge
- buffetingRepeated striking or jolting
- chopQuick forceful slice
- vortexRotating fluid column
- eddyCircular counter-current
airflow · disturbance · updraft · downdraft · crosswind · headwind · tailwind · thermal
Localized descending air blast
- downdraftDescending air current
- go-aroundAbandoned landing attempt
- glideslopeAircraft descent angle guidance
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
altimeter · stall · thrust · cockpit · autopilot · flightpath · takeoff · landing
Localized descending air blast
- downburstSudden descending windstorm
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
- squall lineLinear thunderstorm formation
jetstream · updraft · anemometer · radar · forecasting · severe weather · precipitation · convection
Likely to cause injury
- fatalCausing death or ruin
- accidentUnintended harmful event
- crashSudden violent impact
- emergencySerious sudden danger
warning · unpredictable · treacherous · perilous · catastrophic · risk · threat · deadly
gust
Brief wind surge
eddy · airflow · disturbance · updraft · downdraft · crosswind · headwind · tailwind · thermal · swirl
microburst
Localized descending air blast
- downdraftDescending air current
- go-aroundAbandoned landing attempt
- glideslopeAircraft descent angle guidance
airspeed · altimeter · stall · thrust · cockpit · autopilot · flightpath · takeoff · landing · approach
microburst
Localized descending air blast
- downburstSudden descending windstorm
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
squall line · jetstream · updraft · anemometer · radar · forecasting · severe weather · precipitation · convection · outflow
hazardous
Likely to cause injury
emergency · warning · unpredictable · treacherous · perilous · catastrophic · risk · threat · deadly · invisible