This focus of this web module is on the description of severe convective wind storms as natural hazards/disasters.  Understanding convective wind events is dependent upon the viewer's comprehension of storm models and storm types.  Thus, the first section in this web module will emphasize convective storm types.  In addition, this section will include descriptions of the dynamical and physical processes that are occurring within mesoscale convection.  The second section will characterize convective wind events.  This section will center on the identification of the atmospheric conditions that produce convective wind storms.  Further, detailed explanations of storm diagrams, cloud simulations, and photos will aid in the distinction of convective wind event types.  Please note that this site will not describe the tornado in depth. However, it will attempt to distinguish tornadic winds from those of other convectively-generated wind storms (often known to the public as "straight-line winds").  It is interesting to note that "straight-line winds" often produce the same magnitude of damage and death that are representative of weak-to-moderate tornadoes.   The third section will discuss the temporal and spatial characteristics of convective wind events within the United States.  The fourth section of the module will review convective wind storms that have generated natural disasters.  It is hoped that through the description of these individual events that the viewer will understand the danger of convective wind events and will become cognizant of the conditions that generate convective wind storms. The fifth section will describe projects that are actively trying to mitigate the affects of these wind events.  The last section will include links to WWW sites and a list of resources that are available at university libraries related to convective wind storms.  This module assumes that the viewer has a basic knowledge of Meteorology.