microburst
noun
mi·cro·burst
ˈmī-krō-ˌbərst 
: a violent short-lived localized downdraft that creates extreme wind shears at low altitudes and is usually associated with thunderstorms
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Credit for the invention of the word microburst is generally given to tornado expert Tetsuya Theodore Fujita. Fujita first described these extremely intense wind patterns in 1974. He noted that microbursts are usually short-lived, lasting only 5 to 15 minutes, but that they are extremely dangerous, especially for aircraft, because they cause sudden unexpected changes in wind direction or speed. Since the mid-1970s, many airports have installed Doppler radar systems to help detect potentially deadly microbursts.
Examples of microburst in a Sentence
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Dry conditions beneath the cloud What are microbursts and virga bombs?
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Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Straight-line winds — not a tornado or microburst — are the likely cause of the damage done to the roof of First United Methodist Church in Elgin by a storm that moved through the area Friday night, the National Weather Service said.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Wet microbursts bring heavy rain, while dry ones are common in arid regions.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Cool air remained a distant dream for the southwest Phoenix residents who lost power in Wednesday’s microburst.
—Richard Ruelas, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
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Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Straight-line winds — not a tornado or microburst — are the likely cause of the damage done to the roof of First United Methodist Church in Elgin by a storm that moved through the area Friday night, the National Weather Service said.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Wet microbursts bring heavy rain, while dry ones are common in arid regions.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Cool air remained a distant dream for the southwest Phoenix residents who lost power in Wednesday’s microburst.
—Richard Ruelas, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for microburst
Cite this Entry
“Microburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microburst. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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