as in rains
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
the weatherman warned of possible cloudbursts in the afternoon
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Recent Examples of cloudbursts
The storm, which hit the New York area in October, 2012, unlocked billions of dollars in resilience spending, with hurricanes, rather than heat waves or cloudbursts, as the focus.
—
Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The whole experience tasted of the sea and the end of summer, punctuated by soft little cloudbursts on the palate.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Heavy rain is not uncommon in South Asia this time of year, but experts largely agree that the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts have increased in recent years, in part due to climate change.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—Muhammad Sajjad, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before.
—ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The whole experience tasted of the sea and the end of summer, punctuated by soft little cloudbursts on the palate.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Heavy rain is not uncommon in South Asia this time of year, but experts largely agree that the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts have increased in recent years, in part due to climate change.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—Muhammad Sajjad, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before.
—ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloudbursts
Noun
-
This year, after unusually heavy rains in February, Carrizo Plain erupted in a dramatic bloom in March, attracting several hundred visitors per day.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The annual rains have been failing over the past several years, interrupted in 2023 by devastating flooding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The reason for the storms today is due to a boundary and the jet stream parked right on top of us.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
America’s aging power system is strained by more extreme storms and now electricity demand growth that is poised to expand at an unprecedented clip.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cloudbursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloudbursts. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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