Tornado from LP storm in Dubbo, Australia, 8/24

[Dan Robinson]

Impressive videos coming in of a tornado in Dubbo, NSW Australia yesterday. Although small, the tornado appears to be quite a strong drill bit, with helical vortices, violent motion and great audio of trees being snapped/shredded in this close pass view:

In the second video linked below, you can see the structure of the entire storm, which appears to be a low-topped cold-core type updraft - very small base and almost no precip core evident.

 

[Joshua Nall]

I guess I fail to blink enough watching videos like that first one, my eyes dry out not wanting to miss any of those cool helical vortices. Really wound around tight there a couple times, resembled a spring. And the stupid cows aren't even watching!

 

[Caleb Routt]

Classic example of an end wall vortex!

 

[brentford]

Awesome video. For the lack of a better term, fascinated how literally that cloud could produce a tornado. Could you even call that a supercell or literally an updraft/tornado with virtually no precip?

 

[James Wilson]

That is great video!!

Have you seen this one?

 

[Dan Robinson]

My guess is that there is a precip core there, likely far off to the right. Either cold-core or a highly-sheared low-instability type deal close to a surface low like you see in the winter months (like it currently is in Australia). This reminds me of the January 21, 2010 Huntsville, Alabama tornado:

In the AL video, you can see lightning with the storm's core in the distance, far removed from the updraft and tornado which is hanging out of the extreme western part of the storm.

 

[Caleb Routt]

Awesome video. For the lack of a better term, fascinated how literally that cloud could produce a tornado. Could you even call that a supercell or literally an updraft/tornado with virtually no precip?

Yes this was an LP supercell

 

[Jeff Hawkins]

That 1st vid...talk about being in the right place at the right time!

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Beat me to it, Dan Robinson. Very reminiscent of the 2010 Huntsville storm, though this one was making more impressive ground contact and debris loft.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Another close-pass video of the tornado with great audio:

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

Oh man.....if he had just held on for another minute.

 

[joel ewing]

Oh man.....if he had just held on for another minute.

I know!! I kept looking at the time remaining with about 2 min. to go, and I thought FOR SURE that we were gonna see that thing emerge right in front of the camera...but...sighhhhh. Hey, no complaining....that was fantastic video and audio the entire time. Thanks Dan, for tossing those vids up for all to enjoy!

 

[Michael Thompson]

This was a very interesting setup for Winter here. Nice closed surface low with strong shear through atmosphere. The odd thing as others have pointed out is the almost benign looking storm. Believe me however the evening before NW New South Wales and Southern inland Queensland had several very suspect left movers that were not so benign looking on radar. Due to the remote area however no footage or damage reports. As the low moved eastwards, another small low spun up just off the coast south of Sydney, it even developed an eye. That low dumped 300-400mm (12-16ins) of rain in a strip of coast about 3-4 hours south of Sydney, including my home town, this has reversed what was a growing El Nino drought. Speaking of El Nino, the tropics of Australia are suffering drought, but most of southern Australia has been saved by Indan Ocean moisture.