Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A powerful downward air current from a cumulonimbus cloud, typically associated with thunderstorm activity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun meteorology A powerful downward air current, especially one during a thunderstorm.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Though not an official finding, Environment Canada said they are fairly confident a downburst was the trigger for the collapse of the main stage 20 minutes into a performance by Cheap Trick.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2011

  • Though not an official finding, Environment Canada said they are fairly confident a downburst was the trigger for the collapse of the main stage 20 minutes into a performance by Cheap Trick.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2011

  • Though not an official finding, Environment Canada said they are fairly confident a downburst was the trigger for the collapse of the main stage 20 minutes into a performance by Cheap Trick.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2011

  • Though not an official finding, Environment Canada said they are fairly confident a downburst was the trigger for the collapse of the main stage 20 minutes into a performance by Cheap Trick.

    CBC | Top Stories News 2011

  • A downburst is the outflow from a thunderstorm that is characterized by a massive downward airflow creating immense hazards for aircraft - a severe downburst can swat even the most powerful aircraft from the sky and create a tragedy.

    Soaring on Ridgelift 2008

  • Authorities said a strong downburst of wind apparently overturned a mobile home, killing a 64-year-old woman in St. Francis County, in eastern Arkansas.

    Powerful spring storms kill 9 in Ark., Okla. 2011

  • This intensification may have been aided by the rear-flank downburst.

    Eight years ago: Tornado devastates La Plata, Md. 2010

  • Something just shy of anger erupted, and we soon knew what was in store for us when the plane got tossed from the sky by a sudden downburst from a supercell thunderstorm that appeared in just minutes out of a clear, blue autumn sky.

    365 tomorrows » 2008 » June : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2008

  • This intensification may have been aided by the rear-flank downburst.

    Eight years ago: Tornado devastates La Plata, Md. 2010

  • Another thing that could have happened, as the plane came down and was landing and doing a very nice roll down the runway, rather than wind coming in here, if there was a downburst of a thunderstorm, and that blew the plane this way, you get an 45 - or 50-mile-per-hour wind blowing you down the runway, you don't get to stop in time.

    CNN Transcript Dec 23, 2009 2009

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