Are tornado warnings ever issued for funnel clouds?
Dear Tom,
Are tornado warnings ever issued for funnel clouds?
-Patricia Nesbit
Dear Patricia,
A meteorologist would not hesitate to issue a tornado warning based on a
funnel cloud if the report appeared to be reliable and could be associated with a
Doppler radar that shows a rotation in the clouds in the area.
A funnel cloud becomes a tornado when it hits the ground. During periods of severe
weather, it could only be a matter of seconds before a funnel reaches the ground and
starts causing damage.
Storm spotters and weather professionals often use the redundant phrase “tornado on
the ground” to convey a sense of urgency and danger to the public about an
approaching twister. The redundancy makes it clear that the storm is an actual tornado
and poses an immediate threat.