landspouts
Weak spinning columns
Landspouts are tornadoes that form from the ground up rather than descending from a rotating thunderstorm.
They develop when spinning air near the surface gets stretched vertically by a growing cumulus cloud.
Landspouts are typically weaker and shorter-lived than classic tornadoes: The landspouts caused minor damage to fences and outbuildings.
The term parallels waterspout, their oceanic counterpart.
Rotating destructive windstorm
- tornadoViolent rotating windstorm
- whirlwindViolently rotating air column
- cycloneRotating low-pressure storm system
- eddyCircular counter-current
fire-whirl · brief · short-lived · narrow
Rotating fluid column
- rotationTurning on an axis
- updraftUpward air movement
- funnelCone directing flow
- convectionHeat transfer via motion
thermals · instability · turbulent · spinning · development · genesis · convergence · boundary
Heat transfer through movement
- cumulusDense, billowing cloud type
- atmosphericOf the air above
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- barometricOf air pressure measurement
mesocyclone · fair-weather · Doppler · forecast · warning · observation · NWS · collision
twister
Rotating destructive windstorm
- tornadoViolent rotating windstorm
- whirlwindViolently rotating air column
- cycloneRotating low-pressure storm system
eddy · fire-whirl · brief · short-lived · narrow
vortex
Rotating fluid column
convection · thermals · instability · turbulent · spinning · development · genesis · convergence · boundary · stretching
convective
Heat transfer through movement
- cumulusDense, billowing cloud type
- atmosphericOf the air above
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
barometric · mesocyclone · fair-weather · Doppler · forecast · warning · observation · NWS · collision · airmass
plains
Broad, level grasslands
arid · desert · open · prairie · agricultural · rural · dry · dusty · Colorado · semi-arid
sudden
Occurring without prior notice
unpredictable · short-lived · erratic · ephemeral · transient · sporadic · random · fleeting · narrow · visible