Connecting Funnels/Tornadoes

[joel ewing]

That's a good picture. Although, I still am not sure how it happens. Does anyone here, have proof of seeing this?

I can absolutely vouch that the "Bowtie Funnel" is a phenomenon that exists. Believe it or not, I saw a perfect one a mile away from me over the hills behind my home in southeast Arizona last summer. Saw another one in Nebraska a few years back, too. I wouldn't call them rare....but they're not plentiful, either IMO. They sure look cool. How do they happen?? Good question, and sorry I'm at a loss to explain it. FYI, both times that I saw them they were the only funnels around, and lasted for several minutes. Both of mine were very symmetrical and appeared to be spinning quite fast. There was a nice one on YouTube near my old homestead of Norfolk, Nebraska the last several years. I believe it is listed as "Bowtie Funnel....Pierce Co, Nebraska". Oh....it's also in one of Tom Grazulis' - Tornado Project videos from several years back.

 

[joel ewing]

Mike, I realize I'm writing a response to you about 2 wks after you posted, but perhaps you'll revisit S.Track and see this. You say your event was "after" 1992...but if you mean from '92 onward, I might have your answer. On May 16th '92 I started in Kearney, Neb. at the NWSFO there, and saw an incredible barber-pole tornadic storm north of me and hauled butt towards it. It went just west of Norfolk. Lots of "crawlers". It was my last nite of a 3week chase. I didn't have much to show for it. After the storm near Norfolk petered out...I thought my season was over. I decided to get some lightning shots w of Norfolk on my way back home to my aunt's place in Albion. Long story short...about 90 min. later I had to abandon my rental-vehicle about 1/4 mi. south of the "Welcome to Creighton" sign that was on a paved N/S road that went right into Creighton. Up to baseball hail was coming down, and a tornado chased me out of the rental car and up to the first lit farmhouse I could see. I banged on the door, and when nobody came to the door, I just ran inside...terrified. There was a husband and wife....TOTALLY ANCIENT...prob. late 80's or older...and they just stared at me while I screamed 'TORNADO" . We went into the celler and sat there staring at each other for 15 minutes. Very awkward. Anyhow...the tornado just barely missed the house....I said thank you...and drove off. There was a LOT of electricity with this storm. Perhaps it was the one you remember? It started around KeyaPaha or Boyd County and moved towards Norfolk...quite an east mover. I almost dirtied my diapers over that storm. Hope this helps.

 

[Paul Knightley]

As far as co-joined funnels are concerned: The way I at least attempt to visualise the process is that the descending RFD may make some kind of vortex 'tube' on its leading edge (reasons for development open to suggestions!) - this is then pulled up into the mesocyclone updraught, creating the tornado. However, on the anticyclonic side of the RFD, a developing tower can sometimes do the same (think of non-mesocyclone tornadoes south of the 'main' tornado. Now, if the RFD is very narrow, or perhaps a similar downdraught doesn't manage to spin up vorticity near the ground, the 'sides' of the vortex tube/ring will be very close, and so when pulled into the updraught the anticyclonic and cyclonic circulations are joined above ground, rather than being split at ground level in the more typical tornadic case.

Anyway, I'm starting to ramble now - it would be easier to describe in person!

 

[Kristin78]

I don't know if this is the correct thread, but does look like the correct forum. Please see and read below. Any information is greatly appreciated.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/program_areas/events/historical/palmsunday1965/

I grew up in the legend of this storm and even had the chance to interview the photographer. I would like to know how a tornado like this happens and if it has happened since. The small image on the article can be clicked on and blown up.

I was lucky to talk to the photographer in high school but don't remember much from then. Even the. I was able to was because I was friends with his granddaughter. Many stories were told about how after traveling for some time, the/they split even further into two completely separate tornadoes. One of which leveled a neighborhood and fire station. I remember hearing how the damage was so severe, FDR came to see for himself. (Edit: LBJ)

As if everything that was told over the years wasn't enough, my father and mom's brother were caught in this storm. They were lucky to find refuge in a farmhouse. They survived, the truck they were driving did not.

 

[Michael Towers]

I remember hearing how the damage was so severe, FDR came to see for himself.

I can tell you that didn’t happen as FDR had been dead almost 20 years to the day...I think you meant LBJ.

 

[Kristin78]

You're right. LBJ. we all have ditzy moments and that's mine for the day.

 

[Michael Towers]

Yeah, that's for sure! And you are correct, LBJ did visit the aftermath:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/?n=palmsuntor

 

[Skip Talbot]

Hi Kristin,

Here's a thread from a few years ago discussing that photo:
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?23393-How-rare-are-double-tornadoes/

The bottom line: You're looking at the subvortices of a single, large tornado. It's not uncommon for wedge tornadoes to undergo a process called vortex breakdown, in which the main condensation funnel breaks down into the funnels of smaller subvortices within the tornado. It's all one big tornado that is changing very rapidly. You're just seeing this transition frozen in time. Lots (most?) of wedge tornadoes have exhibited this behavior, but that photo is probably one of the most dramatic examples.

 

[Kristin78]

Thanks for the info Skip. Found a couple of interesting videos now that help make sense of how the "twin tornadoes" happened.

 

[Andrew Khan]

Good Day, I am glad to see the discussion in this thread is still going on after almost 10 years of its inception. Truly an intriguing meteorological phenomenon, particularly rare though.