Four Types of Storm Damage: 2. Wind

2/17/2021 (Permalink)

Thunderstorm

Noted below are the four (4) major types of storm damage and are categorized as follows: 

1) Hail

2) Wind

Part 1 of our Storm Damage blog focused on Hail. Today's blog is going to focus on wind, one of the most destructive types of storm damage.

Wind force is defined in eight (8) different types by The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL).

1) Straight-line wind: Thunderstorm wind not associated by rotation.

2) Downdraft: Small-scale column of air that rapidly sinks toward the ground.

3) Macroburst: An outward burst of strong winds at or near the surface with horizontal dimensions larger than 2.5 miles and occurs when a strong downdraft reaches the surface.

4) Microburst: Small concentrated downburst that produces an outward burst of strong winds at or near the surface.

5) Downburst: General term for all localized strong wind events that are caused by a strong downdraft within a thunderstorm.

6) Gust Front: Leading edge of rain-cooled air that clashes with warmer thunderstorm inflow.

7) Derecho: Widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.

8) Haboob: Wall of dust that is pushed out along the ground from a thunderstorm downdraft at high speeds.

As can be seen, wind storms can come in a variety of ways, all with the ability to cause damage to person and property. 

The most notable forms of damage from wind are roofing and siding blowing off the home, leaving the home defenseless against water or snow penetration.

3) Impact

4) Water

Impact and Water damage will be discussed in future blogs, so stay tuned...