A microburst is a strange and dangerous kind of wind. Instead of blowing horizontally like normal wind, it comes straight down - a powerful column of cold air falling from a thunderstorm cloud. When it hits the ground, the wind spreads outward in all directions, like water hitting a sidewalk.
Microbursts are usually small - less than 2.5 miles across - and short-lived, lasting only 5-15 minutes. But the winds can be incredible: up to 150 mph in extreme cases. That’s enough to topple trees, flip cars, and demolish buildings in seconds. The radial spread of wind can be particularly destructive because debris flies in every direction.
Microbursts are also one of aviation’s worst enemies. A plane flying through a microburst experiences a sudden headwind (going up), then a sudden tailwind (going down), within seconds. The lift on the wings drops out instantly. Several deadly airline crashes in the 1970s and 80s were caused by microbursts before scientists understood them. Today, special radar systems at airports detect microbursts in real-time and warn pilots to wait or divert.
