Microburst

A microburst is defined by the National Weather Service as follows:

A convective downdraft with an affected outflow area of less than 2½ miles wide and peak winds lasting less than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal/vertical wind shears, which can adversely affect aircraft performance and cause property damage.

When it comes to understanding terms in the weather world, there are few ways more successful at grasping the concept than visualizing it.  You’re in luck, because the NWS office in Reno, NV captured this time-lapse of a microburst that occurred near their office Tuesday afternoon.

A very dry airmass sagging beneath the clouds with humidity values of only 5-8% contributed to an environment favorable for microbursts. Enjoy: