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wind shear
noun
: a radical shift in wind speed and direction that occurs over a very short distance
Examples of wind shear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
La Niña produces less wind shear, removing a brake on hurricanes.
—Pedro Dinezio, Discover Magazine, 16 May 2024
What happened next made headlines around the country: The plane hit a wind shear as part of a microburst in the storm.
—Richard Laver, Peoplemag, 15 May 2024
Strong vertical wind shear can rip a developing hurricane apart, or even prevent it from forming.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 4 May 2024
And lastly, hurricanes hate wind shear, or winds of different speeds and directions at different altitudes.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 2 May 2024
While record-high warm temperatures are one factor that can determine tornado potential, there are other factors that need to come together to produce tornadoes, like changes in wind speed or direction, also known as wind shear.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
Combine this with wind shear, and strong updrafts can start the rotations.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Apr. 2024
La Niña conditions, which are set to arrive this summer, decrease vertical wind shear and increase favorable conditions for hurricanes.
—Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
There is also very low wind shear right now in the Gulf.
—Jennifer Gray, CNN, 21 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wind shear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1941, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near wind shear
Cite this Entry
“Wind shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20shear. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
wind shear
noun
: a radical shift in wind speed and direction that occurs over a very short distance
More from Merriam-Webster on wind shear
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wind shear
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