A severe localized wind blasting down from a thunderstorm

[Ivan Seeking]

Definition:

MICROBURST
A severe localized wind blasting down from a thunderstorm. It covers an area less than 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in diameter and is of short duration, usually less than 5 minutes.
Related term: downburst

http://www.weather.com/glossary/m.html

I have spent a lot of time playing with high voltage. For one HV experiment we were using steam or smoke for some reason...hmmm...I don't even remember why exactly, but when the system was on, in effect we had a highly charged, mini cloud system over a grounded plate - separated by perhaps three feet. As soon as power was applied - about 30KV - a dramatic and energetic pattern in the fog was seen that looked just like a microburst in real weather system.

The results were obvious and expected but the observation was striking and it made for a tempting idea. Could microbursts be caused by high electric potentials between the clouds and ground? Just before a lighting discharge, the cloud to ground gradient can approach 30KV per meter. AFAIK, wind, not electric potential, is always used to explain these plane killing events. Maybe the wind is a byproduct of the event and not the cause.

I have always wanted to pass this observation along to someone who might know if any potential exists for an explanation here; pun intended.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I should add that to the best of my knowledge, much about these events in not well understood.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sorry to keep adding here, but I remembered what we were doing.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=40097