Puzzling Tornado Photo.

[Michael Auker]

I was trying to figure out why the below photo has such a strange scouring pattern, then I came across this statement by Andy Wehrle and it all made sense.

Sometimes, storm motion can actually enhance windspeed. Forward speed has a lot to do with damaging straight-line wind potential, and can increase tornado windspeed as well. To the right side of the path (in a cyclonic tornado) where the winds are blowing toward the direction of movement, a high forward speed can increase the windspeed on that side.

Is this photo actually an example of that phenomenon?

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Glad to be of service. 8)

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

I believe this is the same phenomenon that causes wind speeds to be higher in the right quadrant of a hurricane's eye wall.

 

[Andrew Khan]

I thought the action, of more intense winds on the right side of storms, has to do with the earths rotation/gravity affecting the spin....

 

[Pat Lawrence]

Might be a downdraft combined with the tornadic circulation?