Plain English Meaning
A weather radar near an airport that watches for sudden, dangerous wind changes close to the runway and warns controllers and pilots when it sees them.
Full Definition
A ground-based Doppler weather radar system installed at or near major airports to detect hazardous wind conditions in the terminal area, particularly low-altitude wind shear, microbursts, and gust fronts that threaten aircraft during takeoff, approach, and landing. TDWR provides higher resolution and more frequent updates than long- radars and is optimized to the below 1,000 feet near . Detected are relayed to and issued to pilots as wind shear and alerts.