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View synonyms for microburst

microburst

[ mahy-kruh-burst ]

noun

, Meteorology.
  1. an intense, localized downdraft of air that spreads on the ground, causing rapid changes in wind direction and speed; a localized downburst.


microburst

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌbɜːst /

noun

  1. another name for downburst
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


microburst

/ krō-bûrst′ /

  1. A sudden, violent downdraft of air over a small area (less than 16 sq km or 6.24 sq mi) that lasts at least 25 minutes. Microbursts can cause winds with speeds as high as 270 km (167 mi) per hour. They are difficult to detect and predict with standard weather instruments. They are especially hazardous to airplanes during landing or taking off.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of microburst1

First recorded in 1980–85; micro- + burst
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Example Sentences

The unstable air fueled intense but short-lived storm updrafts that quickly paved the way for torrential downpours, concentrated cloud-to-ground lightning and the microbursts.

Supercell storms may also draw down momentum from the fast winds aloft to the ground, creating localized pockets of straight-line wind damage, or microbursts, as noted above.

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