microburst

noun

mi·cro·burst ˈmī-krō-ˌbərst

: a violent short-lived localized downdraft that creates extreme wind shears at low altitudes and is usually associated with thunderstorms

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Credit for the invention of the word microburst is generally given to tornado expert Tetsuya Theodore Fujita. Fujita first described these extremely intense wind patterns in 1974. He noted that microbursts are usually short-lived, lasting only 5 to 15 minutes, but that they are extremely dangerous, especially for aircraft, because they cause sudden unexpected changes in wind direction or speed. Since the mid-1970s, many airports have installed Doppler radar systems to help detect potentially deadly microbursts.

Examples of microburst in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Cool air remained a distant dream for the southwest Phoenix residents who lost power in Wednesday’s microburst. —

Richard Ruelas, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024 There are two different kinds of microbursts, both of which cause fast winds. —

Elizabeth Walsh, Idaho Statesman, 3 July 2024 Damage to the church happened after a microburst hit the area on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. —

Aaron Flaum, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2024 Although power has been fully restored, field crews continue to rebuild the electrical system knocked out by a violent microburst packing 75 mph winds at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, said Katie Connor, an APS spokesperson. —

Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for microburst