A downburst is a column of sinking air is capable of producing damaging straight-line winds of over 100 miles per hour, similar to, but distinguishable from tornadoes. Downburst damage will radiate out from a central point, where as tornado damage shows a pattern consistent with rotating winds.

Such columns of air usually occur during thunderstorms, but have been observed in situations where little or no rain has reached ground level.

Downbursts may cause damage over hundreds of square miles, or they may damage much smaller areas, in which case, they are often called microbursts. A large-scale event of this type is sometimes called a macroburst.

Downbursts are exceedingly dangerous to aircraft which are taking-off and landing. A number of fatal crashes have been attributed to downburst events.

See also: Tetsuya Theodore Fujita

External links

• What is a downburst?
• Denton County, Texas - Downburst