microbursts
Intense localized downdrafts
Microbursts are sudden, powerful downdrafts of air that hit the ground and spread outward, creating intense but localized wind shear.
They typically last only a few minutes and affect areas less than a few miles across, but can produce winds exceeding 100 mph.
Microbursts pose serious hazards to aircraft during takeoff and landing: The crash was caused by a microburst the pilot couldn't escape.
Dry microbursts occur without visible precipitation; wet microbursts accompany heavy rain.
Descending air current
- outflowFluid exiting a system
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- convectiveHeat transfer through movement
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
supercell · precipitation · radar · shear · updraft · squall · instability · anvil
Descending air current
- gustsSudden bursts of air
- shearLateral sliding force
- outflowFluid exiting a system
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
gale · velocity · anemometer · damage · trees · roofs · debris · divergent
Source of potential harm
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- windshearSudden airspeed change aloft
- warningAlert about danger
- downdraftDescending air current
runway · landing · detection · radar · cockpit · pilot · altitude · airspeed
Occurring without prior notice
- violentInvolving physical force
- destructiveCausing severe harm
- powerfulHaving great strength
- severeExtremely harsh or strict
forceful · explosive · concentrated · extreme · fierce · localized · brief · damaging
downdraft
Descending air current
- outflowFluid exiting a system
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- convectiveHeat transfer through movement
cumulonimbus · supercell · precipitation · radar · shear · updraft · squall · instability · anvil · cloudburst
downdraft
Descending air current
turbulence · gale · velocity · anemometer · damage · trees · roofs · debris · divergent · surface
hazard
Source of potential harm
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- windshearSudden airspeed change aloft
- warningAlert about danger
downdraft · runway · landing · detection · radar · cockpit · pilot · altitude · airspeed · descent
sudden
Occurring without prior notice
- violentInvolving physical force
- destructiveCausing severe harm
- powerfulHaving great strength
severe · forceful · explosive · concentrated · extreme · fierce · localized · brief · damaging · unpredictable
destruction
Act of completely ruining
- treesWoody plants with trunks
- roofsUppermost building covers
- powerlinesWires carrying electricity overhead
debris · uprooted · flattened · starburst · swath · infrastructure · vehicles · buildings · aftermath · insurance
- weather phenomenatornado, wind, hurricane, gust, blizzard
- windbreeze, wind, gale, gust, gusts
- Texas weathertornado, hail, heat wave, thunderstorm, hurricane
- turbulencesevere turbulence, chop, bumps, eddies, vortices
- Aviation Weathervisibility, ceiling, cloud ceiling, ceiling height, turbulence
- mesoscale weathersquall lines, supercells, derechos, downbursts, lake-effect snow
microburstssustained winds
Uninterrupted air movement
prevailing winds · trade winds · monsoon · jet stream · steady breeze