Under which wind conditions must a pilot exercise caution to avoid wake turbulence during landing?

During landing, a pilot must exercise caution to avoid wake turbulence primarily in the context of light tailwinds. This is because light tailwinds can allow the vortices created by a preceding aircraft to drift closer to the runway and linger in the landing path. This drift increases the risk of encountering these vortices, especially if the following aircraft has a different approach speed or flight characteristics.

Wake turbulence is particularly hazardous when the aircraft is close to the ground, as the vortices can become more pronounced and have a significant impact on the handling of the aircraft. In conditions where there are light tailwinds, these trailing vortices may remain in the landing area longer, presenting a greater risk than in stronger winds that can disperse the turbulence more effectively.

In contrast, strong headwinds and high crosswinds can help dissipate or move the vortices away from the runway, reducing the likelihood of encountering wake turbulence during landing. Additionally, low wind conditions do not necessarily pose a significant risk as they do not create the same drift of vortices toward the landing zone as light tailwinds do. Therefore, light tailwinds are the condition where heightened awareness and caution are necessary to ensure safety when landing.