Tornado Touchdown by links.

[StephenLevine]

On June 9, 2005, our expedition intercepted a HP supercell near Fowler KS.
We witnessed, from about 1/2 mile away the touchdown of a tornado which became quickly rain wrapped.

What was quite amazing about this tornado was the manner in which it lowered to the ground.
As it lowered, a circular link would develop beneath the visible funnel like a smoke ring, then fill in with tornado funnel as a new link developed below then filled in.

I am curious if any of you have ever seen anything like this during an intercept.

 

[Shane Adams]

I'd need to see video of this to make an accurate response.

 

[StephenLevine]

Unfortunately, we got no video of this event. My videocamera was broken, and the only client with one was so excited that he forgot when he was filming and when he wasn't, so during the touchdowns, we had awesome audio, but with video of gravel and highway.

 

[Christian Matthys]

Hi Stephen

I know this is not quite what you were asking/looking for, but there were also some kind of "smoke rings" around (not beneath) the Mulvane (KS) funnel in June 2004:

http://www.mesoscale.ws/pic2004/040612-13.jpg

More images: http://www.mesoscale.ws/04%7Edocuments/#040612

There is also a time lapse video of this tornado from Charles Allison where you can see how this ring/link behave. Unfortunately I have no URL of this video.