LIDO OFP SHEAR
 

I’m looking for a reliable reference (e.g. internal documentation, standards, or published guidance) that defines the shear-rate categories (light, moderate, severe, etc.) as used in LIDO OFP. Has anyone encountered this in official LIDO or airline/dispatch manuals?

Yes, at least seven people have reported encountering same.

ChatGPT gives a very comprehensive breakdown - probably a bit too long to post here, but basically 1-4 light, 5-9 moderate, 10+ severe, but it can be defined differently in different organisations

And to add to that there is no upper limit to shear value on the OFP

OFP Shear Rate values

Does Shear rate (SR) on the OFP indicate when to expect turbulence?

No. The numeric value of Shear Rate represents the change of wind speed per 1000 ft. High values of Shear Rate imply the possibility of turbulence, but do not directly represent it. Shear Rate can be a useful tool when selecting more efficient cruising levels and also may serve as one possible indicator of turbulence. Other factors such as predicted turbulence or convective areas on Significant Weather charts, or proximity to Jet Streams are needed to further validate suspected turbulence. Shear Rate alone, without any other supporting indicator, will not give you a valid representation of expected turbulence.