Detection of Thunderstorm-induced Microbursts and Windshear by Dual-polarization X-band Doppler Weather Radar

An experimental X-band dual-polarization Doppler weather radar installed at Siu Ho Wan in northern Lantau (see Fig. 1) will provide supplementary microbursts and windshear information when the existing Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) is off for testing a new TDWR. Windshear detection software has been designed in-house for the new radar based on conceptual model of the thunderstorm-induced phenomena. Weather data were collected during a series of thunderstorm episodes in the rainy season of 2013. The X-band weather radar successfully detected a number of microburst and windshear events (see Fig. 2) bearing similarity with the existing TDWR which has been in operation since 1997. The X-band weather radar will be useful as a stop-gap measure for obtaining thunderstorm-induced windshear data in support of the windshear alerting service for the airport.

Figure 1  Location of the Siu Ho Wan X-band dual-polarization Doppler weather radar