Another Dust Devil Story…
Hi Bill,
I just wanted to share with you a story of a dust devil that sounds a lot like the one you are describing in today’s forecast (Saturday).
About 6 years ago I was at an antique car show in Gadsden when a large dust devil formed. It was strong enough to very forcefully blow shut the hoods, trunks, and doors of many cars as well as sling gravel everywhere, forcing people to duck for cover and for the car owners to have a fit. Debris could be seen at least 100-150 feet in the air. It looked much like a small tornado, complete with the rope shape and all.
What actually defines the difference between a dust devil and a small tornado? They look very much the same.
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks for sharing Chris…
Dust devils can be damaging, as you saw in Gadsden a few years ago and we saw last week in Russell County. There have been other damaging dust devils according to my records. But usually, they are not as strong as tornadoes, even though they are both vortices.
The difference is that a tornado is associated with a thunderstorm, while dust devils are fair weather phenomena, caused by strong convective updrafts.
Bill
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Bill Murray is the President of The Weather Factory. He is the site's official weather historian and a weekend forecaster. He also anchors the site's severe weather coverage. Bill Murray is the proud holder of National Weather Association Digital Seal #0001 @wxhistorianSubscribe
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