System and method for detecting and displaying wind shear

Abstract

A computer based method of detecting and displaying rotational wind shear. Radial wind velocities within first and second adjacent gate sweeps produced by a radar system are detected in a predetermined geographic area, and are compared at points of equal radial distance from the radar system. The radial location of gate to gate wind shear at positions between the radar system and the boundary of the radar systems range are identified and compared to a predetermined threshold wind velocity value to determine the location of high priority gate to gate wind shear. The high priority gate to gate wind shear is then graphically displayed relative to its geographic location on a graphical representation of the predetermined geographic area. A computer based system for detecting and displaying rotational wind shear is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of identifying the location of significant weather, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving meteorological information corresponding to a geographic area, said meteorological information including radial wind velocity information; and    processing adjacent radial wind velocity information to determine one or more locations where adjacent radial wind velocities differ.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of displaying the one or more locations where adjacent radial wind velocities differ on a display device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the radial wind velocity information includes wind velocities circumferentially adjacent one another traveling in substantially opposite radial directions, and wherein said processing step includes the step of calculating the velocity difference between the adjacent wind velocities.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the radial wind velocity information includes wind velocities circumferentially adjacent one another and traveling in substantially the same radial direction at different velocities, and wherein said processing step includes the step of calculating the difference in velocity between the adjacent wind velocities.  
     
     
         5 . Computer software configured to perform the method as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         6 . Computer hardware configured to perform the method as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         7 . Computer hardware in combination with computer software configured to perform the method as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         8 . A system for determining the location of significant weather, said system comprising: 
 logic configured to receive radial wind velocity information corresponding to a geographic area, said logic further configured to compare adjacent radial wind velocity information to derive a velocity difference between the adjacent radial wind velocity information.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein said logic is further configured to compare the derived velocity difference to a threshold value to identify high velocity wind shear.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising a database including geographic data corresponding to and representative of the geographic area affected by the received radial wind velocity information.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said logic is further configured to communicate with said database to associate the high velocity wind shear with the geographic data.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a display device for graphically depicting the geographic location of the high velocity wind shear.  
     
     
         13 . A method of indicating the location of significant weather, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving radial wind velocity information;    processing said received radial wind velocity information to identify one or more locations where adjacent radial wind velocity information differs; and    associating an indicator with the one or more locations where adjacent radial wind velocity information differs.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said indicator comprises a shear marker, and wherein said associating step comprises the step of displaying the shear marker together with geographic data corresponding to the geographic area affected by the differing radial wind velocity information.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of associating a graphical representation of a storm cell with the geographic area.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the shear marker comprises an animated swirling circle, and wherein said associating step further comprises the step of superimposing the animated swirling circle over the storm cell.  
     
     
         17 . A system for indicating the location of significant weather, said system comprising: 
 logic configured to receive radial wind velocity information, said logic further configured to process the received radial wind velocity information to associate a significant weather indicator with a location where adjacent radial wind velocity information differs.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said significant weather indicator comprises a shear marker.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the shear marker comprises an animated swirling circle.