as in rains
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
the weatherman warned of possible cloudbursts in the afternoon
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Recent Examples of cloudbursts
Heavy rain is not uncommon in South Asia this time of year, but experts largely agree that the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts have increased in recent years, in part due to climate change.
—
Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—Muhammad Sajjad, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before.
—ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—Muhammad Sajjad, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before.
—ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloudbursts
Noun
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Other states affected by heavy rains include Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in the north of the country and Telangana in the south.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Timely rains in 2024 fell prior to the survey being conducted, which contributed to the elevated pond counts last year.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The typical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season has come and gone – and storms are still hard to come by, with only six reported so far this year.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Nevertheless, meteorologists are urging people to remain alert, as sea temperatures remain high and storms can still form well into October and even November.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cloudbursts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloudbursts. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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