DC8 FLT CREW REPORTS WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER AND RECOVERY AT LOW ALTITUDE ON DEPARTURE.

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PRIOR TO TKOF; THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE DECREASING VISIBILITY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF NEEDING A TKOF ALTERNATE SHOULD THE WX DECREASE BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS. WE TOOK OFF WITH THE ENG ANTI-ICE ON DUE TO TEMP AND MOISTURE; USING MAX THRUST. JUST PRIOR TO THE 80 KT CALLOUT; ATC/TWR ISSUED A WINDSHEAR ALERT FOR THE ARR SEGMENT OF THE RWY. WE FELT THAT THE SIGNIFICANT WX WAS NOT A FACTOR. WE ROTATED NORMALLY; RETRACTED THE GEAR ON SCHEDULE. AT APPROX 1200 FT AGL; WE RECEIVED A WINDSHEAR WARNING. THE CAPT ADVANCED THE THROTTLES AND CALLED FOR MAX THRUST; WHILE PITCHING UP TO 15 DEG ANU. THE AIRSPD DECREASED FROM APPROX 170 KTS TO 145 KTS; BUT THE VSI STABILIZED AT APPROX 2000 FPM UP. I CALLED ALT OFF THE RADIO ALTIMETER AND TRENDS OFF THE VSI. THE TWR CALLED US AND I REPLIED THAT WE WERE IN WINDSHEAR; STAND BY. THE WINDSHEAR LASTED APPROX 20-30 SECONDS; WHEN THE ACFT STARTED TO RESPOND NORMALLY; WE RETRACTED THE FLAPS ON SCHEDULE AND CALLED ATC TO RPT THE ENCOUNTER. AS WE CLBED OUT; THE FE MENTIONED THAT ALL 4 ENGS HAD REACHED A PEAK EGT OF APPROX 950 FOR 15 SECONDS. THE CAPT AND I NEITHER HAD SEEN THE EGT DUE TO OUR REQUIRED DUTIES OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ARPT HAD WINDSHEAR AND THE WX WAS GOING DOWN; WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE. THE ENGS NEVER WERE OBSERVED TO BE OUTSIDE NORMAL PARAMETERS. THE LNDG AND REMAINDER OF THE FLT WERE NORMAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 773750: DURING TKOF ROLL; TWR NOTIFIED US OF A WINDSHEAR ALERT HE RECEIVED OCCURRING AT THE APCH END OF OUR RWY. PASSING 500 FT AGL DURING THE CLBOUT; WE RECEIVED A HARD GPWS WINDSHEAR WARNING. THE AIRSPD IMMEDIATELY DROPPED 25-30 KTS. WE EXECUTED OUR WINDSHEAR RECOVERY PROCS AS TRAINED. DURING THE RECOVERY WE CLBED OUT AT ABOUT 2000 FPM; NOT LOSING ANY MORE AIRSPD. AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS WE FELT WE WERE OUT OF THE EVENT; REDUCED THRUST; AND NOTIFIED ATC OF THE WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER. UPON REDUCTION OF THE THRUST; THE FE THOUGHT HE SAW AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH EGT; WHICH WAS ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK. DURING THE EVENT; ALL CREW MEMBERS PERFORMED THEIR DUTIES WELL AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED. WHILE THE CAPT FLEW THE ACFT THE FO MONITORED THE TREND INFO ON ALT AND VERT SPD. THE FE HELPED SET THE THRUST AND BACKED UP THE FO. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE WINDSHEAR BEFORE THE TWR ALERT. THERE WAS NO FORECAST OF WINDSHEAR; AND THE RADAR WAS CLR WITH LIGHT PRECIP ON THE GND. THE WINDS WERE CALM WITH NO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA.