Gust front
Strong, gusty wind flowing out of a thunderstorm and spreading across the ground.
Also known as
- outflow standard term
Terms and slang labels apply to this language. Usage may differ in other languages.
What it means
Cold air falling from the storm spreads out at the surface, and its leading edge arrives as a sudden strong wind, often well ahead of the storm itself. Strictly, the outflow is the cold air and the gust front is its leading edge, while ordinary gusts need not have anything to do with a storm.
Example in context
The storm was still behind the hill, but the gust front was already bending the trees by the landing field.
Sources and review
- NWS Glossary: Gust Front (opens in a new tab)
- FAA Glider Flying Handbook, Chapter 9 (Soaring Weather) (opens in a new tab)
- Jakub Vrána — Paraglidingový slang: o počasí (opens in a new tab)
Reviewed: