August in North Dakota is often a time for rain. The hot and humid conditions can create severe weather conditions, such as raging thunderstorms or tornados. But apart from these well known weather hazards, those conditions can also create downbursts. Unlike tornados, whose winds spiral, downbursts shoot straight down, then rocket off in every direction. The resulting winds can be well over 100 miles per hour and are highly destructive, especially on the plains where there is little to resist