Terminal Doppler Weather Radar

As the name suggests, Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) is purposely built to serve the terminal area of the airport. Its mission is to detect windshear and microburst associated with convective storms, so as to enhance the safety of aircraft landing and taking off from the Hong Kong International Airport. There are now two TDWR stations, one at Tai Lam Chung, Tuen Mun near the Marine Police Base. The other is at Brothers Point, Tuen Mun. Both stations are strategically located at about 12 kilometres northeast of Chek Lap Kok so that the TDWRs have a clear view of the runways, and airport approach and departure zones. 

The Tai Lam Chung TDWR station houses the first TDWR, TDWR-1, which was installed in 1996. The Brothers Point TDWR station houses the second TDWR (TDWR-2) which was installed in 2014. TDWR-2 is now the primary operation radar to support airport operation while TDWR-1 will be replaced.

The TDWRs are specially designed to operate in a high clutter environment normally present in the vicinity of airports. The TDWR makes use of a variety of methods to minimize clutter and to eliminate the influence of such moving targets as birds, aircraft and automobiles. In this way the TDWR can accurately measure the radial wind speed and its fluctuation from which low level windshear can be computed. Equipped with sophisticated computer programs, both TDWRs are able to automatically detect thunderstorm-induced windshear and microbursts.

Example of thunderstorm-induced windshear
 
 

About locations and further details of the meteorological equipment, please refer to Meteorological Stations for the Airport.