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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
During a La Niña, the area of low vertical wind shear in the Atlantic expands, increasing the number of hurricanes that develop while allowing stronger storms to form.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Typically, Gulf of Mexico waters have cooled by November, and strong wind shear tears apart any storms that make it into the gulf.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
The heat and humidity present in the atmosphere during such storms and changes in wind direction or speed with height, known as wind shear, contribute to their likelihood.
—Stephany Matat, Isabella O'Malley, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Oct. 2024
Climate change affects wind shear too—also making the planet more hospitable to hurricanes.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024
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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 15 Nov. 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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