Sounding Data » Hodograph Wind Barbs vs. Wind Vectors

Meteorologists are all familiar with the traditional vertical wind profile from a radiosonde that uses barbed lines to indicate wind direction and speed at various levels. The hodograph communicates the same information. However, since its primary purpose is to reveal vertical wind shear, the hodograph is based on wind vectors. Unlike the wind barb, a vector indicates speed by its length rather than a combination of barbs.