Monday’s very isolated, but intense, severe thunderstorms in the Montara area provide a great example of why even severe thunderstorm warnings should be taken seriously.

A “microburst” (we’ve mentioned this name a few times this summer — and most everyone in Lawrence knows about them) hit Montara late Monday afternoon, with winds possibly in excess of 70 mph.

Montara is just south of Topeka and west of Forbes Field.

The destructive winds caused severe tree damage. There were reports of large trees down on houses. Shingles were ripped off of roofs, too. More information will come available later Tuesday on this storm. This might have you wondering, what is a “microburst”? How can I prepare for one?

A microburst is a big gust of wind that blows out of a thunderstorm. The gust of wind is usually over a tiny area. When the winds hit the ground, they spread out in all directions; in straight lines. Winds can be clocked at well over 60-70 mph in a microburst. Sometimes, microburst winds can exceed 100 mph. These winds are very destructive and quite unpredictable, folks.

The suddenness of a microburst makes them very, very dangerous. The best way to stay safe in any thunderstorm is to get indoors, away from windows. With the damage seen in Montara (trees on homes), it is always the best idea to hit the lowest floor in your home; even during a severe thunderstorm warning. Tornadoes are not the only type of wind that can cause severe–and life threatening–damage to your home.

Have you ever experienced a microburst? What was it like when it hit? Did you think it was a tornado? What damage did you see afterwards? Knowing of the sudden onset of a microburst, and the damage it can produce, do you seek safe shelter during thunderstorms, or do you go outside?