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
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
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
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Flood warnings have also been issued for low-lying areas of the Philippines’s Luzon as Ragasa’s winds enhance torrential monsoon rains and the threat of damaging floods.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
22 Sep. 2025
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Although the 2022 season was the third year in drought cycle, the vineyards benefitted from late-fall rains in 2021 that were followed by a dry winter.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The storms continued into the afternoon, eventually stretching across the entire Valley.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Large clusters appearing on weather radars are likely massive flocks of migrating birds, not storms.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Nashville Tennessean,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloudbursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloudbursts. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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