Downburst

weather · wind · thunderstorms · danger

Wind shoots downward. A downburst starts high up inside a thunderstorm and plunges straight down toward the ground with incredible force, like a column of air diving at the Earth.

Then explodes outward. When the downward wind hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions like ripples in a pond, creating dangerously strong winds that can damage buildings and blow over trees.

Born from cold air. Downbursts form when heavy rain cools the air inside a thunderstorm so much that the cold, heavy air sinks rapidly and creates the downward blast.

Brief but fierce. These powerful wind events usually only last a few seconds to a few minutes, but in that short time they can cause serious damage to everything in their path.

Not a tornado. People sometimes confuse downbursts with tornadoes, but they are very different: tornadoes spin in circles, while downbursts push straight down and then out in all directions.