Heat Bursts in Nebraska
Posted on June 26, 2006
Some interesting temperature fluctuations occured earlier this month in Nebraska. The rapid temperature increases are known as heat bursts. The incidents are listed on a NOAA Page.
Heat bursts are caused by decaying thunderstorms and only develop in an extremely unique environment. The rare setup for a heat burst is dry air directly beneath a weakening elevated thunderstorm. When a thunderstorm is weakening air within the thunderstorm begins to sink. If this sinking air is very dry and high enough it will begin to accelerate toward the ground since it is more dense. Any remaining precipitation will fall through this dry air and quickly evaporate. As the air continues downward, it warms rapidly due to compression.The article lists several heat bursts that occured that evening. The greatest temperature change was at Kearney, Nebraksa where readings went from 70 degrees to 93 degrees between 4 and 5 am. Wow! A 23 degree rise in temperature in an hour.A heat burst is noted by a rapid increase in temperature, a drop in the dew point temperature and an increase in winds. Here are some readings that occurred this morning.
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