On the Classification of Vertical Wind Shear as Directional Shear versus Speed Shear

Abstract

Vertical wind shear is commonly classified as ?directional? or ?speed? shear. In this note, these classifications are reviewed and their relevance discussed with respect to the dynamics of convective storms. In the absence of surface drag, storm morphology and evolution only depend on the shape and length of a hodograph, on which the storm-relative winds depend; that is, storm characteristics are independent of the translation and rotation of a hodograph. Therefore, traditional definitions of directional and speed shear are most relevant when applied to the storm-relative wind profile.