Funnel Cloud

Tornado Warning! This means I grab the camera, run outside and start looking to the SW. I cannot see this.. looking, looking.. no tornado. The wind is really strong, and changing directions quickly.

It never occurred to me to look directly overhead.. but for some reason I did.

Big decision.. do you snap the photo, then run.. or do you just run?

Clearly I made the wrong choice.

 

If a funnel cloud touches the ground it becomes a tornado. Most tornadoes begin as funnel clouds, but many funnel clouds do not make ground contact and so do not become tornadoes. Also, a tornado does not necessarily need to have an associated condensation funnel—if strong cyclonic winds are occurring at the surface (and connected to a cloud base, regardless of condensation), then the feature is a tornado. Some tornadoes may appear only as a debris swirl, with no obvious funnel cloud extending below the rotating cloud base. A funnel cloud is quite noticeable as it passes overhead aloft. The sounds heard are described as buzzing bees, roaring, a sucking sound, or a waterfall-like sound.

 

Nikon D3100

Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)

Aperture f/3.8

Focal Length 20 mm

ISO Speed 1800

Exposure Bias +1/3 EV

Flash On, Return detected

Done