Question: Lately I’ve been hearing the term “eddy dissipation rate” used for turbulence forecasts. What is it and how should I interpret it?
Answer:
How Do You Interpret an Eddy Dissipation Rate?
EDR quantifies turbulence for a specific aircraft, and it’s not a measure of the likelihood of turbulence—just the intensity.
Key Takeaways:
- EDR (Eddy Dissipation Rate) is an aircraft-independent meteorological field measuring turbulence intensity, expressed in m²/s³, indicating how rapidly atmospheric eddies dissipate.
- It quantifies the "mix-y" nature of the atmosphere, with values typically ranging from 0 (smooth) to 1 (extreme mixing), often scaled 0-100 for pilot use, and specifically measures intensity, not the probability of turbulence.
- Despite EDR being an aircraft-independent metric, the *perceived* turbulence intensity (e.g., light, moderate, severe) for a given EDR value varies significantly depending on the aircraft's weight class.
- Pilots interpret EDR forecasts using specific thresholds adapted for their aircraft's weight class, though thresholds for light and heavy aircraft are currently based on theoretical arguments rather than extensive empirical verification.
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