Microbursts

Current location: Bahia del Sol, El Salvador

MICROBURSTS By Mickey Doolittle

Microbursts start out raining. It looks like it’s just another rainy night. But then the rain mixes with dry air so the rain starts to evaporate, cooling the air. The dry air goes to the ground in a column. The wind spreads out around the ground, making winds up to sometimes 100 m.p.h.

Our experience was on a boat. It was just another Saturday night sitting on the boat. As always it started to rain. All of a sudden the wind picked up to 76 knots (about 84 m.p.h.). That’s when our friends broke off the mooring ball. They were free. Another boat got off and then we got off. Thanks to my parent’s quick reactions they switched on the engine and we were off. My family and I pulled into the marina. Afterwards my dad was gone to help other boats.

The man who discovered microbursts was Theodore Fujita. He invented the F-Scale. It rates how big tornadoes are. Early in his career, he was fascinated by tornadoes. Microbursts normally happen where thunderstorms are such as; El Salvador, Florida, Costa Rica, and Beliz. FBI Warning: Do NOT be in a plane while a microburst is going on!!!

Well, I guess that’s it! See ya!



MICROBURSTS
By J.P. Doolittle

Microbursts are very dangerous. It happens when rain falls and mixes with the dry air. Rain evaporates and cools that air. The cool air falls and creates a microburst. The wind hits the ground and spreads.

When I was in one, I was on a boat. Our boat tipped a lot. There was a “snap”. Then my dad yelled, “We’re loose.” We broke from our mooring ball. So my dad grabbed the wheel and we drove around. We were about to anchor, when it TOTALLY stopped. We pulled into the marina. There was lots of damage to other boats.

If you’re wondering who figured out microbursts, his name is Theodore Fujjita. He invented this thing called the F-Scale. It shows how big a tornado is. He also found out about microbursts. They usually happen in southeast places in the U.S.A. or places with thunderstorms, for example, Panama. Being in a microburst is very scary.