# Looking for a Meteorological Term **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042 "2006-09-25T07:47:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/1 "2006-09-25T07:47:46Z")
We had some bad weather around Chicago recently, which included a very localized high wind cell. It was not a tornado, but there were tornado watches in effect. There was minimal damage to houses, but a lot of trees lost all or most of their leaves. I have heard a term for something like this but after much searching I can’t find the word I am looking for. The closest term I have found is something the NOAA calls a [_gustnado_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustnado). This might well be what went through, but it is not the term I remember. Anyone know of a term for something that is almost, but not quite, a tornado? ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/2 "2006-09-25T08:34:38Z")
Maybe a [downburst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downburst)? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/3 "2006-09-25T12:32:08Z")
[QUOTE=Cabbage] Maybe a [downburst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downburst)? [/QUOTE] Or [microburst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst)? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/4 "2006-09-25T15:30:48Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Or [microburst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst)? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Cabbage] Maybe a [downburst](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downburst)? [/QUOTE] Comparing the two there seems to be a minor distinction in velocities. Pretty much synonomous. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/5 "2006-09-25T16:47:20Z")
I am somewhat sure that ‘burst’ is not a part of the term I am looking for. Thanks for the suggestions, though. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/6 "2006-09-25T17:25:09Z")
[Gust front](http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wwhlpr/gust_front.rxml)? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/7 "2006-09-25T17:42:27Z")
I think those are technically known as “Rush Limbaughs.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/8 "2006-09-25T17:54:07Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I think those are technically known as “Rush Limbaughs.” [/QUOTE] No; most of them involve cold air rather than hot. ---
**Author:** ![blatantly\_obvious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@blatantly\_obvious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blatantly_obvious)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/9 "2006-09-25T19:33:42Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Rosewater] We had some bad weather around Chicago recently, which included a very localized high wind cell. It was not a tornado, but there were tornado watches in effect. There was minimal damage to houses, but a lot of trees lost all or most of their leaves. I have heard a term for something like this but after much searching I can’t find the word I am looking for. The closest term I have found is something the NOAA calls a [_gustnado_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustnado). This might well be what went through, but it is not the term I remember. Anyone know of a term for something that is almost, but not quite, a tornado? [/QUOTE] I think the term you’re looking for is [_Derecho_](http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-meteorological-term/374042/10 "2006-09-25T20:07:52Z")
[QUOTE=blatantly\_obvious] I think the term you’re looking for is [_Derecho_](http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts). [/QUOTE] I saw that and it does sound like what I am thinking of, but again, the word does not sound familiar to me (in this context). This is getting frustrating. You’d think that with all the weather-related sites I’ve been to in the last few days one of them would have the word I am looking for somewhere. This is opening the possibility that I have either completely forgetten the original word and have regected the correct answer, or that I have made up the forgoten word and it doesn’t exist. I expect that even if it were a disused word, someone would still be using it somewhere.