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After
a storm cell rolls through and area that has sustained
wind damage, many often confuse the wind damage
associated with severe thunderstorms as tornadic
activity. Happening year round with any thunderstorm,
straight-line winds are more common in the Southeast
than tornadoes.
Responsible for most thunderstorm damage, straight-line
winds can cause ordinary objects to become air-born
missiles. These winds can down trees, power lines,
overturn mobile homes and cause damage to well-built
structures with winds reaching 100 to 150 mph.
Another deadly form of non-tornadic but damaging
straight-line winds are downbursts. A downburst refers
to a very small area of rapidly descending air beneath a
thunderstorm that strikes the ground, producing isolated
areas of significant damage from high wind. The loud
roar also associated with these blasts could be confused
as a tornado.
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