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A highstorm has three general stages. The leading edge, or stormwall, is the most dangerous part of the storm. Immensely powerful winds generate a wall of dust, water, and larger debris.{{book ref|twok|34}} It is shown that it is powerful enough to carry large trees at least 640 kilometres, into the [[Shattered Plains]].{{book ref|sa2|69}} It was also powerful enough to hurl boulders hundreds of metres vertically into the air during [[Kaladin]] and [[Szeth]]'s second battle.{{book ref|sa2|86}} The main body of the highstorm carries less debris, although the winds are still strong enough to hurl boulders. The trailing edge of the storm, known as the riddens, consists of light rains mixed with relatively mild gusts of wind. {{book ref|twok|35}} The [[Purelake]] experiences less intense highstorms.{{book ref|twok|i|1}}
On the Rosharan subastral of the [[Cognitive Realm]], highstorms manifest in a non-violent manner, in contrast with the Physical Realm. Instead of powerful winds and rain, the sky would simply light up{{book ref|sa3|97}}, the clouds shimmering with a mother-of-pearl iridescence.{{book ref|sa3|101}}
== Ecology ==
Highstorms are the single most important force in Roshar's ecology. Some plants, like lavis polyps, enclose themselves against the highstorm's fury; others retract or fold their relatively fragile leaves, vines, or roots away. Stormwater is better for plants than regular water,{{book ref|twok|11}}, providing nutrients that would otherwise be provided by soil swept away by the highstorms. Rosharan fauna has adapted as well; species like [[axehound]]s and [[whitespine]]s are covered in carapaces, and [[chasmfiend]] gemhearts glow when extracted, hinting at a symbiotic relationship with [[spren]] that requires [[Stormlight]], and, thus, highstorms, to function.
Many cities have protection against the storms. [[Kholinar]] has its windblades{{book ref|twok|60}}—large stone formations that divert the highstorm's force— and [[Sesemalex Dar]] has troughs that prevent the city from flooding.{{book ref|twok|55}} Many curses are related to the highstorms, and the Shin reverence for stone may be at least partly due to the mountain range that protects Shinovar from the brunt of the highstorm's power.
Vorin mythology claims that each storm is born in the east at the Origin before traveling west across Roshar, but modern Stormwardens believe there exists a single highstorm that travels around the planet, with the length between storms decided by the speed it travels during that time of year.{{book ref|sa2|87}}
==
It has been stated by [[Zahel]] that the highstorms are [[Investiture|
Several types of [[spren]] are associated with highstorms, most notably the [[Stormfather]]. As mentioned above, Parshendi can bond with spren during highstorms. This is done through a ritual that involves the Stormfather, who they call the Rider of Storms. He appears at a certain point during the storm, and somehow facilitates or enables the Parshendi bond.{{book ref|sa2|I|5}}
Because of the strong winds, [[windspren]] are especially numerous during storms, and more recently [[stormspren]] have also started appearing.{{book ref|sa2|I|6}}
There have been sightings of gigantic glowing spren{{wob ref|10906}} striding through the land during highstorms.{{book ref|sa2|74}} They have been described as sleek, moving on spindly legs.{{book ref|sa3|19}}
== See Also ==
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