Downburst winds are commonly associated with thunderstorms during the Monsoon and they can be extremely hazardous. Downburst winds are one of the thunderstorm-related weather hazards most likely to produce property damage.
A downburst is a non-rotating wind that is created by a column of sinking air in a thunderstorm that, after hitting ground level, spreads out in all directions and is capable of producing damaging straight-line winds of over 100 mph. These winds can often produce damage similar to, but distinguishable from, that caused by tornadoes. The physical properties of a downburst are completely different from those of a tornado.
Rain falling from a thunderstorm will create a column of cool air that will sink along with the rain. This is known as a downdraft. As rain descends some of it may evaporate, leading to additional cooling of the downdraft. This evaporative cooling can cause it to become more dense than the surrounding air, strengthening the downward speed of the downdraft. At times, much or all of the precipitation will even evaporate prior to reaching the ground. Once the accelerating air in a downdraft reaches the ground, it will spread outward. Sometimes a “curl” of dust can be seen on the leading edge of downburst winds. Downburst damage will emanate from a central point as the descending column spreads out at the surface, whereas tornado damage tends toward convergent damage consistent with rotating winds. #Monsoon2k22 #NMwx
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