Weather Hazards

    When it comes to aviation, there are numerous weather conditions that can pose great hazard to a flight. However, one of the most dangerous weather phenomenon is a microburst. A microburst, also called a downburst, is a "localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm" (NOAA, 2016). Microbursts are short-lived and tend to happen in a single location about 2.5 miles in diameter. The danger that this phenomena presents is due to its incredibly strong downdraft which averages at 6,000 feet per minuet. If an unsuspecting, low level aircraft flies into one of these, they can crash into the ground within seconds. What makes them even more dangerous, is that they are deceptive and hard to identify. Most precipitation in a microburst evaporates before it reaches the ground which means there can be few hints as to their presence. Furthermore, when the microburst hits the ground, it spreads out and lifts back up which means that an aircraft flying into one will be lifted up by a strong updraft, and then immediately hit with a massive downdraft which can cause disorientation and panic. 

In order for a microburst to form, a thunderstorm must first be present. Besides that, "instability, high precipitable water, dry air in the mid levels, and strong winds in the dry layer" are all that are necessary for a microburst to form (NOAA, 2016). They are most common in the humid summers of the Southeast.

Resources:

US Department of Commerce, N. O. A. A. (2016, September 21). What is a microburst? National Weather Service. https://www.weather.gov/bmx/outreach_microbursts#:~:text=Instability%2C%20high%20precipitable%20water%20(PW,summertime%20afternoons%20in%20the%20Southeast.