2/11/09 DISC:HI

[Mike Krzywonski]

Tornado on Oahu: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090211/BREAKING01/90211083

 

[jshields]

that is so cool! my wife and i actually went on our honeymoon in that very area the first week of january this year. we drove by that golf course several times

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

I was surfing on the North Shore when it occurred. All I witnessed was some weak Cb development, nothing substantial. Here are a couple video clips I located:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP-txoPs6Ec

http://www.khon2.com/news/local/39472357.html

Here's a link to more photos: http://www.khon2.com/news/local/39473552.html

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Duals even:

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

Wow, I didn't even notice that. Good eye, Jim!

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Wow, I didn't even notice that. Good eye, Jim!

The second one is far better defined than the one most people pictured.

 

[Brandi Davison]

That is amazing! We never saw anything like it when we lived there. Guess I better do some research as I am curious how often this actually happens on Oahu.

 

[Dann Cianca]

These look like spouts to me.

Obs are showing N winds on the northern side of the island, and looped radar looked like this storm went up on a sea breeze boundary. It was NOT stationary, however, which I find a little odd. Usually, landspouts around here (Denver) tend to form on stationary boundaries.

(Radar image from weather.meteostar.com)

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

That is amazing! We never saw anything like it when we lived there. Guess I better do some research as I am curious how often this actually happens on Oahu.

This was a rare event, which is why there was so much news coverage of a tornado that was an EF-0 landspout.

One article stated the following stats: "The state gets one to two tornadoes a year, Ballard said. Yesterday's was the 11th reported since 2000. The last occurred Dec. 13 on Kaua'i near Hanap'p', Ballard said. Before that, there was one on Lana'i in 2006."

Here is a pic of the last one on Oahu I know of (several years ago) prior to this recent event. It touched down near Kunia (between Schofield & Waipahu). It, too, was a landspout.

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

These look like spouts to me.

Obs are showing N winds on the northern side of the island, and looped radar looked like this storm went up on a sea breeze boundary. It was NOT stationary, however, which I find a little odd. Usually, landspouts around here (Denver) tend to form on stationary boundaries.

(Radar image from weather.meteostar.com)

I agree w/ your assessment. Here are some quotes from one of the articles:

"In this case, we had some strong thunderstorms that developed over the center part of the island and moved south, and as they moved south, the shifting winds along the boundary that they moved south on caused a brief tornado," he said.

"It almost seemed like it went from the ground up," Terao said.

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

Here is another pic I discovered. This storm gives the appearance of rotation. Any thoughts?

 

[Dennis Dennison]

I just saw this video
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f95_1234480365

 

[Eric Hostetter]

Dual funnels. Shades of Riverside, CA last year.

 

[rdale]

Scour mark pictures and a story of a man hit twice (he says same tornado but sounds like the dual-funnel thing could have been at work)

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090213_Tornados_fury_sent_man_flying_into_wall.html