How to Use downburst in a Sentence

downburst

noun
  • Stronger storms could produce downburst winds and some heavy rain.
    — Dallas News, 27 June 2021
  • This cool, dense air sinks to the ground and creates a strong wind called a downburst.
    — Ashley Stimpson, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2023
  • The wind speed in a downburst can reach over 150 miles per hour.
    — Amal Elawady, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
  • From a distance, a downburst can look like a torrent of heavy rain.
    — Amal Elawady, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Rain, hail and cold air hits the ground and spreads across the landscape in something called a downburst.
    — Greg Porter, Washington Post, 13 July 2018
  • Some of these storms could produce frequent lightning and strong downburst winds.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
  • That causes rain to fall to the surface as the sudden downburst kills off the thunderstorm.
    — Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Aug. 2022
  • Meteorologists call these straight line winds, and the process that forms them is a downburst.
    — Chris Nowotarski, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Forecasters there said damaging winds from downbursts will be the main threat with any stronger storms that develop.
    — Leigh Morgan, al, 7 Aug. 2019
  • The greatest threat with any storms continues to be large hail accompanied by strong downburst winds.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Straight-line winds, or downbursts, form when cold air rises in a thunderstorm to the point of condensation.
    — Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024
  • On Mobile Bay, the downbursts sent an invisible wave of air rolling ahead of the storm front.
    — Brian Schutmaat, Smithsonian, 25 Apr. 2015
  • Rain is not a widespread issue for the Friday morning drive, but there is a chance of getting caught in a quick downburst.
    — Chelsea Prince, ajc, 8 Oct. 2021
  • The strongest of these storms may contain damaging downburst winds and hail to an inch in diameter.
    — Domingo Ramirez Jr., star-telegram.com, 1 June 2017
  • Some downburst winds in the Mojave Desert area could be as strong as 70 mph, officials said.
    — Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2021
  • Last night's storms produced severe downburst winds & damage across parts of North TX.
    — Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2020
  • But any storms that develop will have the potential to produce strong to severe downburst winds, so be sure to stay weather aware.
    — Dallas News, 29 Aug. 2020
  • Rather, the damage was more typical of a strong downburst with winds between 75 mph and 82 mph.
    — Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026
  • Even though the storms will be spotty in coverage, any storm will be capable of downburst winds, lightning and brief downpours.
    — Dallas News, 8 July 2022
  • Forecasters said the biggest threat from any storm on Thursday is damaging downbursts or hail.
    — Travis Fedschun, Fox News, 14 May 2020
  • This intensification may have been aided by the rear-flank downburst.
    — Kevin Ambrose, Washington Post, 28 Apr. 2017
  • Many people hear a sudden roaring sound as the wind rapidly accelerates to high speeds during a downburst.
    — Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 12 July 2022
  • Bow echoes form because the strong winds racing ahead of the storm front pulls it forward from the center, where those powerful downbursts are taking place.
    — Ashley Stimpson, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2023
  • When downdrafts cause damage on the ground as in Carmichael on Tuesday, they are known as downbursts, say forecasters.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Rain showers will also hoist 30 to 35 mph gusts and sudden downbursts, so be alert for any flood water on roadways.
    — Gerry Díaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
  • Busalacchi says these efforts have contributed to decades without passenger plane crashes caused by wind shear or downbursts.
    — Scott Neuman, NPR, 19 Dec. 2025
  • Pulse thunderstorm cells with isolated damaging downburst winds will be present through the afternoon and evening hours.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • Severe weather is unlikely, but the strongest storms will be capable of producing small hail and gusty downburst winds.
    — Dallas News, 16 May 2020
  • An isolated severe storm is possible with pea to half dollar sized hail accompanied by strong downburst winds.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The chief hazards include pockets of damaging winds caused by downbursts, which are thunderstorm winds that blow downward and then fan out when reaching the ground.
    — Jeff Halverson, Washington Post, 26 June 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downburst.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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