A downburst is caused by sinking air from a thunderstorm hitting the ground and spreading out in all directions, creating powerful winds over 150 mph. Microbursts are downbursts less than 2.5 miles wide, while macrobursts are larger. One notable downburst occurred in North Carolina in 2004, causing over 200,000 power outages with winds from 50-65 mph that toppled trees and damaged property from 6pm to midnight without an accompanying thunderstorm. Safety precautions include having a weather radio, finding shelter away from windows or outside walls, and if outside, lying in a ditch covering your head.

1. Downburst
By: Kyle B.
Date:Tuesday,June7 2011

2. Vocabulary
Downdraft: A strong downward
air current.
Precipitation: The quantity of
water falling to earth at a specific
place within a specified period of
time.
Microburst: Microburst is a very
localized column of sinking air.
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3. Causes
A downburst is created by a small
amount of sinking air from a
thunderstorm. When the air hits
the ground level, the air spreads
in every direction. The air is
capable of producing strait line
winds at over 150mph.
Downbursts are often producing
damage similar but not the same
as tornados.Downbursts that are
less than 2.5 miles are called
microbursts.Downbursts larger
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than 2.5 miles in extent are
sometimes called macro-bursts.

4. Location
Most downbursts usually occur in
North America.Some of the
main places are Texas and
Carolina.
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5. Downburst
One of the most resent places a Click to edit Master text
downburst has occurred was in
styles
North Carolina.The year was
2004 and the day and month was
March 07. The wind speed was
between 50 to 65mph. Over
200,000 people in north
Carolina lost there power in
there house.Two dozen official
news stations were reporting trees
getting blown over and property
being damaged.The high winds
occurred during 6:00pm and
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12:00 midnight.They new it was
a downburst because at the
hardest hit spot there was no
thunderstorm. They new the
damage was radiating.

6. Safety Precautions
Before Downbursts During Downbursts
Buy a battery powered weather Stay away from windows,doors, and
radio to listen to the weather. outside walls.
Find a shelter room like a If not sheltered, lie flat in a ditch with
basement, storm cellar, or a hands covering your head.
interior room.
Remove any tall trees near your
house.
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