Brian Davidson
EF2
This image looks photo shopped. There is no wall cloud and you can see "clear" skies over head.
or am I missing something?
or am I missing something?
-
While Stormtrack has discontinued its hosting of SpotterNetwork support on the forums, keep in mind that support for SpotterNetwork issues is available by emailing [email protected].
Where is the Wall Cloud?
- Thread starter Brian Davidson
- Start date
Skip Talbot
EF5
That's a landspout, and they often originate from towering cumulus, not even cumulonimbus, let alone supercells. A wall cloud is not necessary, and is often missing from this type of tornado. These tornadoes typically form when a strong updraft moves along a boundary, verticalyl stretching existing vorticity. The shot above is from Jim Reed and taken in Colorado (if I'm not mistaken). The base of the parent storm is not even visible in this photograph either, so its not really fair to say that there is no wall cloud (although there probably isn't). Spouts (land and water) usually form under the flat, rain free updraft base. Supercellular tornadoes can exhibit similar "blue sky" backdrops if they form on the back edge of the storm with clear skies behind it. Check out the photos in the 3/22/2011 Reports thread for some examples.
Brian Davidson
EF2
are they still deadly? Could you safely be inside one? I'm guessing it depends on debris.
Skip Talbot
EF5
They are typically weaker than supercellular tornadoes, usually doing no more than F2 damage, although some can get into the 3 range. All tornadoes are dangerous, however. So no, you could not safely be inside of one. Google landspout and waterspout and you'll find a ton of a pictures, examples, and more info. They have a very characteristic tubular look to them.
Rick Schmidt
EF3
BTW, unless Jim took photos of an identical landspout, this one is from southern Ks., not far from Wichita.
Brandon Jenkins
EF3
If you want to see the structure associated with this tornado see this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lprv3nVmd8c
There is a brief shot where the video camera pans upward.
There is a brief shot where the video camera pans upward.
Wes Carter
EF5
That was from May 8, 2008 west of Garden City somewhere between Syracuse, Lakin, and Garden City. We got on the storm shortly after that and followed it all the way to Jetmore. It was a slow moving, long lasting supercell that never quite produced anything other than the landspouts back closer to the Colorado border. I remember being up on a slight hill near Jetmore in the inflow. The inflow to that had to be 60mph or better, it was all I could do to stand up in it. The dewpoints were a bit too low and therefore the cloud base was just a bit too high to produce to the best of my knowledge.
But the photograph is totally legit, as you can see in the video. I wish we had been waiting for initiation in Garden City instead of Liberal. We might have seen the landspout.
But the photograph is totally legit, as you can see in the video. I wish we had been waiting for initiation in Garden City instead of Liberal. We might have seen the landspout.
Paul Knightley
EF5
You can see the funnel going off behind the lower portion, almost horizontally for a time, into the cumulus pile at the top left of the picture.
