what is a downburst
A downburst is a strong downdraft that results in an outward burst of damaging winds on or near the ground. Downburst winds may begin as a microburst and spread out over a wider area. [+] A microburst is a small concentrated downburst that produces an outward burst of damaging winds at the surface. Microbursts are generally small (less than 4km across) and short-lived, lasting only 5-10 minutes, with maximum windspeeds up to 168 mph. There are two kinds of microbursts: wet and dry.