cloudburst
Brief intense rainfall
A cloudburst is a sudden, intense rainstorm—a downpour so heavy it seems a cloud has split open and dumped its contents all at once.
The term suggests brief but extreme rainfall: We got caught in a cloudburst and were soaked within seconds.
Unlike steady rain, a cloudburst arrives without warning and overwhelms.
Violent weather with lightning
- tempestViolent windstorm or turmoil
- squallBrief, violent windstorm
- lightningAtmospheric electrical discharge
- thunderclapExplosive atmospheric sound
gale · gust · hurricane · cyclone · typhoon · rainstorm · whirlwind · maelstrom
Flowing in violent streams
- rainfallWater falling from clouds
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- raindropsIndividual bits of precipitation
- showersLight, passing rainfalls
drench · soak · deluge · torrent · drenching · soaking · wetness · droplets
Overwhelming surge of water
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
- flash floodRapid overflow from storms
- swampingOverwhelming with excess
- surgeSudden powerful increase
engulfment · submersion · waterlogging · freshet · levee · floodgate · sandbagging · dike
Brief burst of light
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- outburstSudden emotional release
- spateSudden large number
abrupt · explosive · instantaneous · short-lived · brief · intense · violent · rapid
thunderstorm
Violent weather with lightning
- tempestViolent windstorm or turmoil
- squallBrief, violent windstorm
- lightningAtmospheric electrical discharge
thunderclap · gale · gust · hurricane · cyclone · typhoon · rainstorm · whirlwind · maelstrom · blizzard
torrential
Flowing in violent streams
- rainfallWater falling from clouds
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- raindropsIndividual bits of precipitation
showers · drench · soak · deluge · torrent · drenching · soaking · wetness · droplets · patter
inundation
Overwhelming surge of water
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
- flash floodRapid overflow from storms
- swampingOverwhelming with excess
surge · engulfment · submersion · waterlogging · freshet · levee · floodgate · sandbagging · dike · spate
flash
Brief burst of light
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- outburstSudden emotional release
spate · abrupt · explosive · instantaneous · short-lived · brief · intense · violent · rapid · swift
- tropical weatherhurricane, tropical storm, tropical cyclone, hurricanes, tropical depression
- rainrain, drizzling, downpour, raindrop, raindrops
- weather phenomenatornado, wind, hurricane, gust, blizzard
- precipitationrain, snow, hail, drizzle, sleet
- Cinematic Weatherrain scenes, snow scenes, lightning, thunder, clouds
- monsoonmonsoon winds, wet season, rainy season, heavy rain, torrential rain
cloudburstdrizzle
Very light precipitation
sprinkle · mist · mizzle · light rain · spit
cloudburstdrought
Prolonged water scarcity
dry spell · aridity · dryness · clear skies · fair weather