Kate's Corner: What is a Microburst?

A microburst is like a tiny hurricane that happens right outside your window, but it’s super fast and powerful!

Imagine you’re playing with water in the bathtub. You splash your hands around, and suddenly all the water goes flying out of the tub, whoosh! That’s kind of what a microburst does, but with wind instead of water.

A microburst starts high up in the sky when raindrops fall really fast. These raindrops are like tiny weights being dropped from a tall building, they make the air around them go whoosh down to the ground, creating a strong rush of wind.

When that rush of wind hits the ground, it can blow things away, leaves, toys, even parts of buildings! It’s like when you jump into a pool and splash water everywhere.

If you're outside during a microburst, it might feel like someone gave you a big push from behind. Trees might sway wildly, and the wind can be so strong that it feels like it's trying to take your hat off, or even your shoes!