Knowra Downburst Downburst A downburst is a strong downdraft from a thunderstorm that spreads outward on reaching the ground, producing damaging winds. It may affect an area smaller than a macroburst or larger than a microburst.
Thunderstorm downdraft : A descending current of air within a thunderstorm, often driven by precipitation loading and evaporative cooling. A downburst is an especially strong downdraft that reaches the surface and spreads outward.
Macroburst : A downburst with damaging winds affecting an area more than about four kilometers across. This broad-scale form can cause extensive wind damage across a storm's path.
Aircraft wind shear : A rapid change in wind speed or direction that affects an aircraft's flight path. A plane can encounter a downburst's headwind, downdraft, and tailwind in quick succession.
Hobbs, New Mexico, microburst : A 1970 microburst near Hobbs, New Mexico, documented during research into severe thunderstorm outflows. Its investigation helped establish the microburst as a distinct, hazardous wind phenomenon.
Ted Fujita : A Japanese-American meteorologist known for research on tornadoes, downbursts, and severe-storm damage. Fujita's investigations made downbursts a recognized meteorological and aviation hazard.
Evaporative cooling : The lowering of air temperature when liquid water evaporates into it, absorbing latent heat. Evaporation of falling rain can cool storm air, making it denser and helping it descend.
Wet microburst : A microburst accompanied by substantial precipitation reaching the ground. Rain or hail often makes this downburst type visible as it strikes the surface.
Low-level windshear alert system : An airport system that detects and reports hazardous wind shear near runways. Airport sensors can identify downburst outflow before it endangers departing or arriving aircraft.
Delta Air Lines Flight 191 : A 1985 passenger flight that crashed while approaching Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport during a microburst. The accident demonstrated how a microburst can overwhelm an aircraft on final approach.
J. C. Wakimoto : An atmospheric scientist whose field research advanced understanding of microbursts and thunderstorm outflows. His observations helped explain the structure and evolution of downburst-producing storms.
Show all 26