downburst
a strong downward current of air from a cumulonimbus cloud, often associated with intense thunderstorms.
Origin of downburst
1Words Nearby downburst
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use downburst in a sentence
There’s also a risk of damaging winds, mainly in downbursts from collapsing storms.
PM Update: Scattered strong storms may produce flooding through evening | Ian Livingston | August 5, 2022 | Washington Post
British Dictionary definitions for downburst
/ (ˈdaʊnˌbɜːst) /
a very high-speed downward movement of turbulent air in a limited area for a short time. Near the ground it spreads out from its centre with high horizontal velocities: Also called: microburst
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
Scientific definitions for downburst
[ doun′bûrst′ ]
An extremely powerful downward air current from a cumulonimbus cloud, typically associated with thunderstorm activity. Downbursts can produce effects that resemble those brought about by tornadoes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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