What is a Macroburst storm?
A macroburst is an outward burst of strong winds at or near the surface with horizontal dimensions larger than 4 km (2.5 mi) and occurs when a strong downdraft reaches the surface. Macroburst winds may begin over a smaller area and then spread out over a wider area, sometimes producing damage similar to a tornado.
What is a rain bomb?
A microburst occurs during thunderstorms when a cool, heavier column of air descends rapidly and hits the ground, generating damaging winds of over 150 mph that affect an area less than 2 1/2 miles. Add precipitation and it becomes a wet downburst, aka a rain bomb or wet microburst.
How many people have died from derecho?
Packing gusts as high as 91 mph near Fort Wayne, Ind., and 79 mph at Reston, Va., the derecho and related severe weather inflicted $3.3 billion in damage (in 2020 dollars) and led to at least 42 direct and indirect deaths, with power knocked out to more than 4 million customers.
How long does a Macroburst last?
What is a macroburst? It’s a sustained pulse of severe straight-line winds caused by rapid downdraft of air within a tall storm cloud. The winds can reach speeds of more than 130 mph, last for five to 30 minutes, and extend across an area more than 2½ miles wide.
Is a microburst rare?
Quite often, wind damage produced from a thunderstorm is from a common phenomenon called a microburst. According to the National Weather Service, there are approximately 10 microburst reports for every one tornado, but these numbers are an estimate.
Is a microburst worse than a tornado?
Although microbursts are not as widely recognized as tornadoes, they can cause comparable, and in some cases, worse damage than some tornadoes produce. In fact, wind speeds as high as 150 mph are possible in extreme microburst cases.
When was the Syracuse Derecho of Labor Day 1998?
“Syracuse Derecho of Labor Day 1998”. Just before midnight on Sunday evening September 6, 1998, a derecho formed over western New York and moved rapidly east during the early morning of Labor Day (September 7th), reaching the New England coast by 6 a.m. EDT.
What was the wind speed at Syracuse airport in 1998?
Measured wind gusts of 89 mph at the Rochester Airport and 77 mph at the Syracuse airport were recorded. Winds were estimated to have reached 115 mph in the most seriously-damaged areas. Along the derecho path, tens of thousands of trees were blown down and over 1000 homes and businesses were damaged.
Where was the Labor Day Storm in 1998?
Three people were killed and 10 were injured in Syracuse, mostly at the New York State Fairgrounds. Measured wind gusts of 89 mph at the Rochester Airport and 77 mph at the Syracuse airport were recorded. Winds were estimated to have reached 115 mph in the most seriously-damaged areas.
Who was the meteorologist for the Syracuse Labor Day Storm?
Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses lost power, with some remaining without power for a week. A radar reflectivity image and animated radar loops for the Syracuse Labor Day Derecho were provided by National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Jeff Waldstreicher. The thunderstorm system that produced the derecho began as a supercell.