What is a Microburst Storm?

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

Micro burst storms come and go at random, SERVPRO is Here to Help

The National Weather Service defines a microburst as a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter.

Microbursts can cause extensive damage at the surface, and in some instances, can be life-threatening. There are two primary types of microbursts: 1) wet microbursts and 2) dry microbursts. Wet microbursts are accompanied by significant precipitation and are common in the Southeast during the summer months.

During the past few years, Northeast Georgia has experienced an increase of annual rainfall.  This has contributed to the more frequent occurrence of late day or nighttime thunder cells and storms.

Because these storms are so small and manifest so quickly, they can often be overlooked by local or national news reports.  Yet the damage to homes and businesses while localized can be very severe.

Wind speeds in microbursts can reach up to 100 mph, or even higher, which is equivalent to an EF-1 tornado! Winds this high can cause major damage to homes and other structures and level hundreds of trees. It is very important that you take Severe Thunderstorm Warnings just as seriously as Tornado Warnings!

Be sure to take shelter to protect your family and loved ones.   But, after the storm has passed, you can call SERVPRO to help repair whatever might have been damaged.

Because each SERVPRO is individually owned and locally operated, we are typically just a few minutes away from where these events occur.

Whatever is needed to clean, dry, repair or restore a damaged structure can be coordinated thru your local SERVPRO team.  

We remain “Here to Help.”