Lab Assignment 13
METR 2413
Date assigned: April 23, 2004
Due date: April 30, 2004
There were many different definitions of a heat burst submitted. While there is no exact answer,
the following things were required:
Heat bursts are associated with a collapsing or dying thunderstorm
Evaporating rain cools a layer high in the thunderstorm, which creates negative buoyancy, and
the downward moving air is warmed adiabatically as it sinks
At the surface there are temperature increases, dew point decreases and high winds
Here are a few heat bursts illustrated on Oklahoma Mesonet meteograms:
