Downbursts

Definition

Downbursts in air that is precipitation free or contains virga are known as dry downbursts; those accompanied with precipitation are known as wet downbursts. These generally are formed by precipitation-cooled air rushing to the surface, but they perhaps also could be powered by strong winds aloft being deflected toward the surface by dynamical processes in a thunderstorm (see rear flank downdraft). Most downbursts are less than 4 km (2.5 mi) in extent: these are called microbursts. Downbursts larger than 4 km (2.5 mi) in extent are sometimes called macrobursts. Downbursts can occur over large areas. In the extreme case, a series of continuing downbursts results in a derecho, which covers huge areas of more than 320 km (200 mi) wide and over 1,600 km (1,000 mi) long, persisting for 12 hours or more, and which is associated with some of the most intense straight-line winds.