"Norman D. Crow" wrote in message
...
Used to see that years ago when traveling to AZ. Going through TX & NM you
could see for miles and watch those thunderstorms go across the highway
miles ahead of you. By the time you got there, the road was wet for a mile
or two, then back to dry road again. Once we saw where some unfortunate
slid
off the road into a 6' deep ditch, then kept driving down the ditch for
about 3mi trying to find a way out until they got stopped at a crossing.
Only way they were going to get out was a tow.


More common where the rain is a result of sudden downdraft from storms,
versus frontal activity, which spreads for miles. I imagine everyone has
experienced the sudden cooling prior to a thunderstorm, and many of those
who fly have felt low altitude microbursts. Lot of airports are putting in
Doppler now to warn aircraft close to the ground of their potential for
becoming part of it.