Definitions

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

  • noun A sudden, violent downdraft of air over a small area. Microbursts are difficult to detect and predict with standard weather instruments and are especially hazardous to airplanes during landing or takeoff.

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

  • noun meteorology A strong downdraft, of less than 2.5 miles in diameter, that can cause damaging winds.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

micro- +‎ burst

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Examples

  • One of the storms produced what they call a microburst, with 80-mile-an-hour winds.

    CNN Transcript May 19, 2006 2006

  • No matter how carefully you choose your tree, none can survive a tornado or wind-driven "microburst" -- so make sure to plant where it can never fall on your house or your neighbors '.

    Trees That Stand Up to Storms 2008

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    KDKA: TOP VIDEO Videos 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    CBS3.com - Philadelphia's Source For Breaking News, Weather, Traffic and Sports 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    KDKA: TOP VIDEO Videos 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    CBS3.com - Philadelphia's Source For Breaking News, Weather, Traffic and Sports 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    CBS3.com - Philadelphia's Source For Breaking News, Weather, Traffic and Sports 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    CBS3.com - Philadelphia's Source For Breaking News, Weather, Traffic and Sports 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    Nevada Appeal - Top Stories By BRADLEY BROOKS Associated Press Writer 2010

  • Curry called it a miracle that everyone on board made it into rafts and survived after the three-masted Concordia apparently experienced a weather phenomenon known as a "microburst" - a sudden, violent downdraft of wind - that instantly crippled the vessel Wednesday.

    CBS3.com - Philadelphia's Source For Breaking News, Weather, Traffic and Sports 2010

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